Deafening Silence
by MayFairy
Summary: Just as his relationship with River begins to escalate, the Doctor finds that a Time Lady has survived the war, a Time Lady he knows all too well. Will she, who once loved him, be able to watch him fall in love with River, and will the consequences of River's inevitable death drive the Time Lords apart for good? 1st in a series. 11/River and 11/OC. Mostly original adventures. AU.
1. Prologue

The corridors of the Citadel were surprisingly quiet. But then, they were all likely bustling around the War Rooms. As of this morning, they were, after all, at war.

The Doctor entered his TARDIS and went immediately to the controls, where he entered the coordinates for a lovely spot in London in the 1960's, where they did his favourite tea within three galaxies. His velvet Victorian coat was draped over the back of his comfy chair, which lay several metres away next to the end table with his current novel sitting on it.

He was about to set the controls in motion when his scanner came to life and a familiar face appeared on it, solemn and determined.

"Madame President," He said, with a small smile as he greeted the woman who had once been his companion, in her first and second bodies and his fourth, "How can I help you?"

"With your refusal to fight, you can't," Romanadvoratrelundar said stonily. Her third and current incarnation was a lot more serious than the ones that had preceded it. "But I thought it best to inform you that we have just suffered our first casualties."

"How thoughtful of you," He muttered. He knew that she wasn't happy that he was refusing to fight the war. But he just couldn't. He was the Doctor, and he just couldn't, no matter how she tried to guilt him into it with talk of casualties.

"They were a group of radicals who wished to attack the Daleks before they attacked us. Obviously, they failed. Six of them, classic TARDIS crew," Romana continued, and her eyes flicked down as she began to list the names. "Mandel of Mirraflex, the Matron of Redloom, Relinak and Trelinak of Brightshore, Gaiantria of Oakdown, and the Angel of Arpexia."

The first few names he didn't recognise, but by the end, his body was rigid.

"What?" His voice was low, breathy, and full of disbelief and confusion.

"You heard me."

"But I just saw her, this morning!"

"They left two hours ago, were confirmed dead twenty minutes ago. They didn't waste any time." Romana looked back up at him. "I thought you ought to know."

"How can you be so cold about this?" The Doctor demanded. "She's your cousin!"

"She was an idiot who got herself killed."

"_She would never do that!" _He shouted. "She's no warrior, she's a mechanic, who was only going to fight out of a stupid sense of obligation to _you_!"

Romana tilted her head to the side. "Perhaps she wasn't as honest with you as you thought. Yesterday afternoon, she wouldn't stop insisting that the fight should be taken to the Daleks immediately. She was overruled, but didn't look happy about it. Her decision is regrettable, but not entirely unprecedented. The TARDIS they left in was hers, in fact. No doubt destroyed along with them."

"It makes no sense! She would never do it…especially not in her current regeneration. Never," The Doctor said weakly. "She can't just be…it doesn't…"

"I'm sorry, Doctor, but she's gone," the President of Gallifrey said, a hint of sadness finally touching her voice for a moment, "And I have a war to fight."

"And I don't," He said, turning the screen off and bending over the console as he tried to process what he had just found out. It made no sense. His hearts ached as he recalled bright eyes and laughter and a voice that had been so filled with fear. He shut the memories out. It changed nothing. He wasn't going to fight, nothing had changed. Perhaps once the war was more brutal, he could help heal those who had been hurt in it. But he would not fight.

He had lost so many friends, and would lose more by the time that the war was over. It wasn't as if she would have survived it anyway. What was one more lost friend amongst the dozens of others?


	2. Who Are You?

_Deafening silence. It was all she knew. There was nothing but her. Nothing but darkness. Somewhere in a distant memory, she thought that life had once been different. But now it seemed just like an impossible dream, and she just had to keep waking up. Like opening her eyes, but seeing as little as she had when they had been closed._

_Nothing ever changed. It was always the same. The darkness suspended all around her (or perhaps the other way around?), the silence so strong and violent. When she tried to feel, she would feel nothing. There was nothing above her, and nothing beneath her feet. It was all so empty, and she was the centre of the emptiness. Looking back through her dreams, she remembered people. Other beings. Where were they now? Did they all leave, or was she the one that had left? What was it one did around others? Something with your mouth? You moved your mouth and sound came out. Even the concept of sound was odd. She was so used to the silence, so used to it and terrified of it at the same time. What had that making of sound been called? Speaking? She hadn't tried speaking. Not since she had come to this place, this hell. Even though she couldn't remember how she got there. _

_Her whole world was emptiness. Dare she try and break it with a mere sound?_

_She decided she did._

_She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She tried again, and something came out. It had no meaning, just the faintest sound._

_She revelled in it. She glorified it as it echoed. This amazing thing, it had broken the silence. The silence that was now screaming at her, furious that she would dare try and break it. Just to anger it further, she did something she had never done before, that no one had ever done here._

_She laughed._

_The way the sound bounced around through the horrible prison, fighting the horrible thing she had called her existence, it was the most wonderful thing she had yet to experience. She felt something. Something so small she couldn't be sure it even existed at all. Not hope, but the ghost of hope. The sheer possibility of the thought of freedom, and she wished for it with all her soul. She didn't know how long she wished for it. It could have been minutes, days, or centuries. But eventually, something happened, which was strange in itself. Things didn't happen, not here, not ever, but somehow it did._

_The first thing was light, coming from down below. But how could that be possible? There were no directions here. They hadn't existed until this moment. But somehow, with this new light came directions, places. The light burned in her eyes, and she screamed, because the moment that light began to exist, she began to fall._

* * *

"So, Ponds, where to today?"

The Doctor came racing down the stairs with his usual manic energy, and grinned at his two companions.

"How about Rio?" Amy suggested while crossing her arms. "Since you haven't actually managed to get us there yet."

Somewhat disappointed but not actually surprised, he just sighed. "Alright, then, Pond, we'll try for Rio."

He moved to the controls while Amy looked at Rory with excitement at the prospect of possibly getting to Rio. But when he tried to get ready to dematerialise, the TARDIS seemed to…refuse? She wasn't having any of it, for some reason.

"What's wrong, girl?" The Time Lord asked his ship, partially confused and partially concerned. The ship groaned, and jolted into flight unexpectedly, and without his help. "Hold on, Ponds!" He cried. "The TARDIS has different ideas!"

They flew through the Time Vortex, and all three of them clutched the console railing to avoid being thrown to the floor or over the side. When the ship finally stopped moving and came to a halt, the Doctor and the Ponds breathed deeply as they righted themselves.

"What just happened?" Rory asked, frowning. "Did the TARDIS just dematerialise by herself?"

"Yes, it looks that way…" The Doctor replied vaguely, staring up at the Time Rotor. "It's happened before, but usually I know why." He went to the scanner, and looked at where they had landed. "Oh…that's interesting."

"What is? Where are we?" Amy shot a look at the door before trying to peer over his shoulder, but she could make no sense of what was on the screen.

"Why here?" The Doctor was again speaking to himself – or to the TARDIS, the humans could never be sure.

"Where's here?"

"Karn. Deserted planet, has been for centuries," The Doctor replied offhandedly, "Was associated with mine sometimes, because it used to be a colony…" He shook his head. "There was a Sisterhood there, but they went insane, ruined the planet. By the time the war came along, the planet was already useless. That's why this makes no sense!"

"But the TARDIS must have a reason for bringing us here, yeah?" Amy pointed out. "You always talk about how she's alive. Sounds like she's trying to talk to you."

"Yes, but she's not making sense, she's not telling me-" He suddenly cut off, a stricken look passing over his face as he went disturbing quiet.

"Doctor, what is it?" Rory asked.

"It's a TARDIS," The man in tweed whispered, "That's why we're here. She found another TARDIS."

"Another one?" Amy breathed. "Like, from your planet?"

"Does that mean there could be another one of your people here too?" Rory's question was valid but the Doctor quickly shook his head.

"No, absolutely not, Rory, I would know if one of them were still alive, I would be able to sense them!"

"But how else could one be here?"

The Doctor pushed away from the console and headed for the door. "I don't know. It could have crashed during the war after losing its pilot. There are dozens of other explanations. But we have to go have a look."

The Ponds were quick to follow when he walked out of the police box doors, and found themselves on a planet that was rocky, barren and hot, with orange terrain and grey sky. A bitter wind swept against them, and they hurried to follow the Doctor, who was walking ahead with a determination they didn't often see. His sonic seemed to be leading him.

"Doctor, where are we going?" Rory called.

"This way, according to the sonic, towards…" He turned on the spot, pointing with the sonic. "…that." His eyes widened, and the Ponds rotated to look as well. In the distance was one of the largest mountains any of them had ever seen, which for the Doctor was no small feat. "But it's…" He hit the sonic, assuming it was an error. "It's not a mountain! There's nothing inside!"

"What, like it's hollow?"

"No, if it was, then the sonic would pick up the particles making up the air…but there's just nothing. Like a void, but an artificially made one," He deducted.

"But it's huge," Rory said, "Who could make something like that?"

The older man swallowed deliberately. "I can think of only a few." He set off again at an incredibly fast walk which had the humans all but running to keep up. The three of them walked for nearly twenty minutes, until they were at the foot of the colossal mountain.

"Now what?" Amy asked.

The Doctor consulted his sonic again, which led him to a very large boulder at the foot of the mountain. "It ends here. The trail just disappears." He pressed his hand to the boulder, unsure and desperate. To his surprise, the giant rock felt…alive. "Unless – oh you beauty!" Before his eyes, the rock disappeared, leaving behind the default TARDIS exterior. As drab and dreary as the design was, he had never been so glad to see it. He tried the door, but it wouldn't budge.

"Is that the other TARDIS?"

"Yeah, but she won't let me in. Not surprising, I'm not her Time Lord. But there's something…" He put his ear to the side of it. "I think I've encountered this TARDIS before. But I just don't know _where_….no, no, no, no!" Underneath his very touch, the ship began to dematerialise, to Rassilon knew where. "Not now, please!" He couldn't stop it, however, and it was gone. He yelled with frustration, as it could have gone anywhere in time and space, and how was he supposed to find it now?

"Doctor."

"What, Rory?"

"Look."

The Doctor lifted his gaze from the ground, and saw what his companion had meant. Where the TARDIS had been, was now just a gaping black hole that seemed to led inside the mountain – or the void, whichever it was.

A scream rang through the air, coming from inside, and they couldn't see who or what it belonged to until something small and pale suddenly fell from the top of their line of sight within the mountain and landed on the ground with a crash.

"It was a door," The Doctor said, eyes wide.

"And that was a person!" Rory reminded him, and pointed into the blackness.

"A person who appeared, or fell, the moment that TARDIS dematerialised…which means they could be linked…and that person may still be alive," The Time Lord stared into the void in front of them before looking back at them. "Don't follow me, we don't know if it's dangerous in there." With that, he ran into the darkness. The moment he crossed the threshold, he got a horrid feeling in his gut. The void didn't seem to have any incredibly detrimental effects on him, but it didn't have a nice feeling to it. He made a mental note to get out as soon as he could.

At first he couldn't see, but as he continued to walk, he spotted something a shade lighter than everything else. When he reached it, he was relieved to see that it was the person they had glimpsed falling.

It was a female, a small one, but in the absence of light he couldn't make out any more than that, only that she had no clothing. He removed his jacket and wrapped it around her before he lifted her from the ground and headed back towards the light in the distance which was the way out.

When he emerged from the mountain, he was subject to concerned exclamations from the Ponds.

"Is she the one who screamed?" Amy asked.

"I didn't see anyone else. The whole place was just…empty," The Doctor said, "It felt all wrong, though, like it shouldn't exist."

"Is she okay?" Rory, ever the nurse, shot a worried look at the girl. The Doctor looked down at her too. In the light he could see that she looked like a teenager – by human standards, at least – and small one at that. Her hair was brown and matted, her button nose dotted with freckles.

"Hard to say. She doesn't seem injured, and she's breathing, but…that place could have had any kind of effect on her," The Doctor knelt down and gingerly set the girl on the rocky ground.

"What are you doing?"

"I'll get the TARDIS, probably best not to move her. Rory, look after her, will you? If she was connected to that TARDIS, then she could be…"

"Like you?" Amy finished.

He pursed his lips. "I don't see how. A Time Lord designed this. They could have trapped her in there, forged the link to keep her in there, designed it that only another Time Lord could cause the TARDIS to move, and therefore show the opening."

"But if she's not one, why would a Time Lord do that?"

"Revenge?" The Doctor guessed, rather weakly, his eyes flicking back down to the small, unconscious figure at his feet. "I don't know. Look, I'll be back soon."

He set off back the way they had come. The Ponds knelt next to the girl, shooting each other worried looks.

"What do you think, Rory?" Amy asked her husband quietly.

"I think that the Doctor seems too sure that she's not like him," He answered, albeit unsurely, "It makes the most sense, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, but wouldn't he know?" She eyed the girl, frowning. "But it seems a bit far-fetched that some Time Lord would put some other person in this place just for revenge or something."

"Earth English."

Both humans started and looked down at the girl, who was staring up at the grey sky with wide eyes.

"What?" Rory stared at her, blinking.

"Am I right?" Her head whipped to look at him, her voice almost eager. "I think I am. Earth English, that's what you're speaking."

"Um…yeah," Amy answered, also staring because of the dramatic change.

The girl grinned widely, showing off gapped teeth. "I thought so." She stretched her arms out, very slowly, and groaned. "Ouch, gosh, you would think it had been several hundred years since I had moved, wouldn't you?" She looked at them expectantly, with bright eyes, and laughed even when they didn't understand what was clearly a private joke, or perhaps self-amusement. "Can you help me up?" Rory helped pull her up so that she was sitting, and she smiled gratefully at him. "Thanks."

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" He asked, and a look of alarm crossed her face, as if she hadn't considered it.

"Good point," She said, and shut her eyes as she shifted her body slightly, "No, I don't think so…I just feel really…tired. And a bit generally ill. But hey, I'm doing okay at talking and that's always a good start!" She smiled brightly again. "That being said, I could use some clothes."

"What's your name?"

"You're funny, you know I can't tell you that."

"No, really. I'm Rory. This is Amy."

"Oh…those kind of names. I'm…not too sure, actually."

Just then, the sound of the TARDIS materialising filled the air. Her head whipped towards the police box as it solidified. When the Doctor stepped out and saw her staring, his eyes widened.

"She's awake?"

"And talking!" She added, rather proudly, before spotting the fabric hanging over his arm. "Is that for me?"

He frowned, and nodded wordlessly, speechless. Amy, annoyed at the progress, snatched it from him, and held the green summer dress out for the girl to look at.

"Can you help me up? I can put it on behind," She pointed to the TARDIS, so Amy helped her to her feet, and the girl stumbled on weak legs that clearly hadn't been used in a while. Her hands clutched the jacket to herself to preserve her modesty. Once the girl was behind with the dress in her hands, Amy turned to the Doctor.

"So, she knows English," The Scotswoman said to her best friend, and he shook his head slightly.

"Most likely just the translation circuit."

"No, she identified it before she started speaking it."

That caught his attention. "Really?" He poked his head around the corner of the box, where all he could see was that his jacket had been discarded onto the ground. As he turned back, he didn't have a good answer.

"She's pretty…cheerful for someone who just had a really big fall from god knows how high," Amy noted. "But she doesn't know her name."

"And she said she wasn't hurt, but I don't know how that's possible," Rory said, his eyebrows knitting together in a frown.

"Lots of things are possible," A familiar voice said, as the girl appeared from the opposite side of the box than they were expecting. Now in the dress, she held the jacket to her nose and sniffed it. Then, completely casually, she sniffed all three of the time travellers in turn before nodding to herself and handing the jacket to the Doctor.

"You could smell it was mine?" The Doctor guessed , though rather incredulously. She smiled, almost to herself, and nodded, having already been distracted by the police box. Her hands reached out to it and her fingers splayed across the panels.

"Do you remember who you are?" The Doctor asked. She looked at him with wide eyes for a moment before she blinked.

"Vaguely." With that she looked back to the police box. "Hi," She whispered to it, "Do I know you from somewhere?" Before she seemed to get a reply, a moan escaped her and her legs buckled as her hand clutched her chest. Only with Rory's quick support did she say on her feet. "Man, that hurts!"

"What's wrong?" Both males asked urgently.

With her eyes squeezed shut, she winced. "My heart just gave out…which is quite inconvenient."

"How are you still alive?" Rory stared at her.

That made her giggle. "You're acting like it's the only one I've got."


	3. Surprise

_"My heart just gave out…which is quite inconvenient."_

_"How are you still alive?" Rory stared at her._

_That made her giggle. "You're acting like it's the only one I've got."_

"You've got more than one heart?" The Doctor inquired sharply, and the girl cringed again.

"Of course. That being said, it's still unpleasant. Don't suppose you'll invite me in?" She nodded towards the door, which he hastily pushed open for her, able to move, just not come up with good replies. "Thank you."

The Doctor and the Ponds quickly followed her inside, and saw the girl looking around with a large smile.

"Nice design," She complimented, and they couldn't be sure if she meant the actual design or the fact that it was dimensionally transcendental. Her arms were outstretched, and her eyes shut again. "Oh I've missed this."

"Missed what?" The Doctor approached her, utterly unsure what to make of the strange creature who apparently had more than one heart. Of course, that could mean more than two, she could have three or four, logically…

"Like you don't know."

"I don't actually."

She laughed at him, but staggered and quickly aimed for the hand rails that flanked the small set of stairs. "Okay, quick question because I'm probably not going to have a lot of time to ask it…am I really small or is it just me?"

"Well, you look about 15, so yeah," Rory put in, trying to be helpful.

That made the girl laugh, almost mockingly. "Now that's embarrassing. I knew this one felt a bit different."

"This what?" Amy asked.

"Doesn't matter now, it's about to die. Ooh, that place got me…it got me good," She giggled, shaking her head, "But hey, at least I'm still breathing, right?" Ironically, that was when she started coughing, just a little at first, and then harshly.

The Doctor rushed to her side. "Breathing is good, keep thinking that and you can't go wrong," He said, and she laughed through the hacking cough. Then she dropped to the floor, and when he tried to help her up, she pushed his hands away.

"I'm fine, really," she said confidently, but she seemed to get hit with another jolt of pain, and fell onto her side.

"You're obviously not," The Doctor said, "But we've got an infirmary upstairs, we can help-"

"You're a bit late, but thank you for the offer," The girl said, and her hand touched the floor of the ship, stroking it, much to the others' bemusement. "Okay girl, I might need your help with this one, it's a nasty one."

Where it touched the ship, her hand began to glow gold, and the colour spread up her arm and then across her whole body.

"Impossible," The Doctor breathed. "That's impossible." He backed away and indicated for the Ponds to do the same. "And yet…"

"See you in a minute," The girl giggled, just before the golden energy overtook her. The sound transitioned into a scream as all of her cells died only to be reborn. When the light finally faded, the three time travellers stared at the woman lying on the floor where the girl had been.

"Wow," The woman said, and abruptly sat up. "That one was…particularly unpleasant."

"Are you alright?" The Doctor asked suddenly, and she looked at him.

"I think so," She said mildly as she got to her feet. She stretched, and smiled to herself as she eyed her hands. "This one is a more sensible size, isn't it?"

"Er, yes, I suppose."

"Does someone want to explain what the hell just happened?" Rory asked, eyeing the two of them as if they were lunatics.

"You can do it, Doctor," The woman chuckled, her hands by that point running down her torso, exploring the new body. "Okay, I think this will do nicely." The Doctor was politely doing his best not to follow with his eyes the path her hands were taking. "How does it look?"

"Good. I suppose," He rubbed his temple, frowning as he tried to process what had just happened. "Now would you like to explain to me how in the name of every supposed hell-"

She approached him and clapped her hands over his mouth. "I need a bit more than _that_. Details, please." She pointed to herself.

"Er…" He took several steps back before allowing himself to properly look. "Blonde. Average height, perhaps a little taller. Nothing unusual. There's a mirror on the console somewhere if you want to have a look."

"I should hope so," The woman snorted, "That was a bit pathetic."

"Doctor, what happened? Where'd the girl go?" Amy whispered, and the Doctor for the first time tore his gaze away from the woman, to look at his companion.

"Long story. Short version, you were right, she's a Time Lord," He said breathily to her and her husband, clearly still not really believing it, "Not quite sure what to think about that."

"But isn't that good?" Amy said, staring at where the woman was examining herself in the small mirror on the console. "Hang on, is she the same person as that girl?"

"Yes, it's a thing…that we do…look, would you two be able to leave me with her for a bit?" The Doctor requested, looking apologetic. "Only…at this stage, she could be very unpredictable." _Also, regeneration energy is an aphrodisiac and that could get potentially awkward. _He didn't think he should mention that part. Besides, as long as he kept his distance and his head, it shouldn't be too much of a problem, not considering that she was almost definitely a stranger. He didn't recognise her, after all.

"Um, yeah, okay." Amy looked disappointed, but she seemed to realise that it was important because she made for the stairs. "Come on Rory."

"Are you sure she's okay?" Rory asked as he left, and she heard.

"I'm fine," The stranger said, smiling at his concern.

Once left alone with her, the Doctor eyed her worriedly. She was still staring at her own reflection, taking in the blonde hair that fell in gentle waves around her chin, the nose with just a slight bump at the end, the thin but shapely top lip that resided above a slightly fuller bottom lip…and taking it all in with eyes that were blue…no, green…no…both? With a second glance, he saw that one was a dark blue that was more of a purple, while the other was a lighter shade somewhere between blue and green.

"Everything alright?"

She straightened up, tearing her gaze away from the mirror. "I think so. Could be a lot worse. Lord knows you've had some interesting ones."

That made him freeze. "What?"

"The one with the rainbow coat? You have to admit that one was pretty awful," She chuckled.

"You know who I am?" He suddenly recalled what she had said about a minute before. "Hold on, yes, you called me Doctor."

"Yes," She said, nodding, "Hard not to know you. Between the Type 40 TARDIS and the stupid clothes, how can I not?"

"Do I know you?" The idea was quite belated, he knew, but the concept was so _wrong_. She just lifted an eyebrow and smirked. When he didn't respond, some of her cheer dissipated.

"You should," She said, not seeming too bothered that he didn't.

"You could just tell me. What do you call yourself?"

She came around the other side of the console. "That would be too easy. I think I at least deserve to be recognised. I'm a bit insulted, actually."

"You have no telepathic presence!" He said defensively. "I can barely sense that you're a Time Lord, let alone which one."

That time, something that looked like actual hurt flashed through her eyes. "So ask me questions. Narrow it down."

"This isn't a game, just tell me."

The blonde just frowned. "No."

"Why not?"

"Because you should know!" She snapped, and actually sounded rather upset. "Now ask."

"Are you a renegade?"

"No, not really. I was friends with one or two, though."

"Okay…specialty?"

"Engineering and mechanics," She said casually. That one hit a bit close to home, as he had been friends with several engineers and mechanics, one in particular…

"How do you know me?"

"You're the Doctor. You're infamous. Who doesn't?"

"You seem to know me better than that. You said that I should know you."

"You should."

"How well do you know me?"

"Let's see." She eyed him with a far too knowing smile. "You were part of the Deca at the Academy, the group made of mostly future renegades such as the Rani, the Master, the Monk, the War Chief…" She ticked them all off on her fingers. "You went by Theta Sigma, then. Best friend of Koschei of Oakdown and Aliyanadevoralundar of Arpexia. You went on to marry a woman of Mirraflex. Near the end of your first body, you ran away with your granddaughter, Arkytior. Brought back to Gallifrey in your second body and forced to regenerate into your third, you were exiled. In your fourth you travelled with Romanadvoratrelundar, younger and more brilliant cousin of your old Academy friend. In your fifth, you kidnapped said old friend after the downfall of Borusa, and dragged her off on your adventures until she finally managed to get home some six months later. In your sixth, you were put on trial for the second time, only that time in front of a full court, being prosecuted by the Valeyard and judged by Inquisitor Darkel. Again, your old friend from Arpexia was there, and she even tried to defend you, though you were the opposite of cooperative-"

"How do you know that?" The Doctor demanded, eyes wide as he stared at her, trying to understand the enigma in front of him.

"About that trial? Because I was in that court room," She said offhandedly, "And can I just say that I have never see anyone so _ungrateful _or _horrid _in all my lives. Aliya was trying to help you-"

"Aliya?" His head snapped up. "You called her Aliya."

"Yes, and?" Her eyebrow lifted.

"That was her nickname. The one _I _gave her. Time Lords don't like the concept of nicknames. Not usually. So you're someone who didn't quite conform, and someone who knew who her at least a little bit. See, the Rani might call her that, or Romana, but neither of them were in that courtroom…"

"Rassilon, you're thick," The Time Lady whispered, her eyes wide and starting to gather tears at the corners. "You can't even see what's right in front of your damn face. There's one person who knew her well, who was in that courtroom."

"Who?"

"Oh for sanity's sake!" She grabbed his jacket lapels and pressed her lips against his, kissing him forcefully with some kind of message. A jolt of familiarity hit him, and a mad, absurd idea occurred to him as to who was in front of him. He didn't kiss her back, because she was surging with regeneration energy and she was _really quite close _and that was _very distracting _because she was all _new and sparkling with regeneration energy and it made him want to_-

He gently pushed her away, but she didn't look fazed in the slightest. "Sorry," She said, only half looking like she meant it, "Regeneration energy. I forgot. I'll try and keep my distance-"

"Aliya?" He whispered it, only half daring to speak it. A relieved, bright smile broke out on her face. "Is that you?"

"Yes, you idiot."

He was hugging her then, so tightly that he feared he might break her, but she was strong with regeneration and he knew that it would be fine. He laughed, nervously and giddily and with utter disbelief because of all the possibilities, it was her.

Aliya seemed to be sobbing, and when he finally pulled away she smiled and wiped at the tears glistening on her cheeks. "Sorry," She apologised, "But you had me pretty worried there."

"How are you here?" He breathed.

"I don't know. I don't remember anything…it was the night before the war, and then it was dark and then there was pain…and then more dark. Proper darkness. And silence. You can't imagine the silence. It was so loud," She whispered, her fingers rubbing her temple, "And it's still there, it's screaming, like a hole in my head, it hurts even more now, something's missing…"

"I think that's a different silence," The Doctor said weakly. If what she said was true, she had someone been imprisoned in that void just before the war had actually started, and therefore didn't know of the outcome. How did he begin to tell her?


	4. The Painful Truth

It became evident that the Doctor didn't have to go about telling her that everything wasn't fine and dandy. His old friend had picked on as much for herself.

Her eyes snapped up to look at him intently. "There's something you're not telling me. The war, is it over?"

He swallowed. "Yes."

"What happened? Who won?" She asked, though what she really meant – and the Doctor knew it – was who _lost._

"Everyone lost."

"But what does that mean? The Time Lords… what happened?"

For several seconds, all he could do was stare at her. How could he do it? How could he tell her that he burned her whole world? _Their _whole world? That he had burned her family and her friends?

In the end, he could only keep it simple. "They died."

Aliya just stared. "What do you mean?" She asked shakily. "You can't just - they can't just be - what the hell do you mean they _died_? You make it sound like they're all gone!"

He rubbed his face tiredly, feeling his hearts thud dully. "You said yourself that your head felt empty."

"That's not fucking funny, that's sick," She snapped, "Are you trying to tell me that Gallifrey is sitting up in the sky without a single living person left on it?"

"...Gallifrey's gone."

Her brow furrowed and she shoved him backward. "All I hear is more and more ridiculous words that don't make sense coming out of your mouth." Her voice was cold, but he heard it tremble.

"The Daleks are gone too. They're all dead, all of them, except for a few tiny groups here and there. One couldn't be destroyed without the other, and the Daleks had to be destroyed," The Doctor said, as if the mention of Daleks could somehow soften what she was hearing, even though it was clear that she didn't believe him.

"Why did you say it like that?" She asked, very quietly, eyebrows coming together in a frown.

"They're in a Time Lock, Aliya. There was a weapon, stolen from the Time Vaults, called the Moment. It was activated to end the Time War, to save billions of people. Except that it meant that Gallifrey had to burn."

"You're telling me that someone made that call?" The disbelief and disgust was obvious in her voice. Her eyes met his. "You're really serious? They're all dead? All of them? It's all just...gone?" Her desperate voice broke, and he could see in her eyes the tiny spark of hope that he wouldn't answer in the affirmative, that it was some kind of joke.

He could barely get out the word 'yes' before his head hung.

The noise of grief that escaped her lips was piercing and horrible to have to hear. Raw, loud, ugly sobs ripped through her, and her knees gave out. She half fell to the ground, saved only by his arms as he lowered himself to her level. Now on the floor of the console platform, he gripped her forearms as the tears streaked down her face and she held her head and screamed.

Under her breath she was gasping out words in Gallifreyan. Most of them were about emptiness and silence and death. All of loss, all of grief. As he had been when he realised that his species was gone, she was broken, and the problem was that she didn't even know the worst part yet.

Finally, her head lifted to look at him with wet, reddened eyes. "How did you make it out? I'm not surprised, just curious."

He tried to answer, but the words refused to leave him. He just looked back at her.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" No sooner had she asked before something flashed through her eyes. "Unless..." She pulled out of his grip. "No." The pleading note in her voice nearly made the shame break him. "No, tell me it wasn't you, tell me you didn't!" When he didn't answer, her face twisted with betrayal and fury that had him flinching.

He couldn't take it, he had to make her see why it was necessary. He hadn't realised just how much he craved forgiveness, forgiveness from someone who could understand the magnitude of the act. But he also knew that he didn't deserve it. "You have to understand-"

"Understand what?" She demanded. "That you burned Gallifrey? That you actually consciously pressed a button that you knew would killed everyone on that planet?" Her voice shook, it was so distraught.

"If I hadn't, the entire universe would have been destroyed, it was them or everyone!" The Doctor said, telling her what he had told himself over and over before he had done the deed, and since.

"Who was still alive? Was Romana? Was Leela?" Aliya moved further back when he tried to come closer.

"Leela wasn't. Romana...she was in the Citadel prison," He said quietly, "Aliya, she's the one who told me to do it. I tried to make her come with me, Aliya, I begged her, but she wouldn't. She refused to abandon her people, even after being deposed."

She didn't answer straight away, merely looked at the floor beneath them as tears ran silently down her cheeks. "Was my mother still alive?"

_Say she died early on. Say you don't know_, a part of him whispered. But he couldn't lie, he had to tell the complete truth. He looked her right in the eye and said, "Yes."

He got a minuscule nod for an answer, and more tears. Her head turned away from him. "I can't even look at you," She whispered, "It makes me want to be sick."

The Doctor shifted so that his back was leaning against the base of the console, looking over to where she sat dejectedly on the glass floor. "You have to realise that if I hadn't, more would have died and the universe probably still wouldn't be standing. People like Amy and Rory would have never lived."

"Yes," She said, still not looking at him, "But to know that you were the reason that it happened...I look at you and I see them burning and screaming."

"No, I..." He sighed. "I deserve that."

The next thing she said shook him, especially because of how calmly she spoke. "Tell me, if you're the man who makes people better, then why do you seem to be the one who causes the most destruction?" He said nothing. After half a minute's silence, she spoke again. "But Romana? You really tried?"

"Of course I did."

"You should have tried harder," She told him forcefully, "You should have dragged her from that cell kicking and screaming if you had to."

"Do you think I don't regret not doing so every day?"

"You promised me that you'd always protect her, I don't care if she became President, you promised!" Aliya reminded him, the subtle steel back in her voice, "And instead you killed her, she was my cousin and your old companion, and you killed her! You loved her for Rassilon's sake, how could you not save her?!"

"Did you ever try to make her do something she didn't want to do? In that regeneration especially?" He retorted, and it made her pause.

"Yes," She said hesitantly, with a different tone of voice, "I thought she was going to have me thrown from the room." His lips twitched and so did hers, though she covered them the second she realised it. Her body twisted until she was sitting on the floor properly, her knees bent and in front of her and her arms draped over them. "Look, just..." Her eyes shut briefly as she took a deep breath. "Just tell me that even though it was necessary, you regret it."

"Of course I do," He said softly, and she finally looked him in the eye again, only to give him a small smile.

"Okay. That doesn't mean that it's okay, or that I'm okay...but..." She trailed off.

"I know," He said, because he did.

"I'm going to need a while to process."

"Of course."

Now that the worst was over, he hoped, a random memory jolted into him from when she had been pretending to be someone other than herself. _"…In your fifth, you kidnapped said old friend after the downfall of Borusa, and dragged her off on your adventures until she finally managed to get home some six months later…" _

Perhaps it was time for a change in topic, at least for now. She needed time to learn to cope before they discussed it again.

"Aliya…before, you said I kidnapped you and dragged you off on adventures," He recalled with a frown.

"And?" She sniffed and shrugged.

"That's not what happened!"

Her eyes lightened a little and a tiny smirk graced her lips. "Are you sure? That's the official story, isn't it? _Renegade Time Lord known as the Doctor kidnaps past friend and executive mechanic, Aliyanadevoralundar of Arpexia_?" Her grin was back, however small, in the haste to temporarily forget the horror of her new reality.

"Yes, that's what we told Flavia, so that you didn't get in trouble!" He protested indignantly. "But I didn't kidnap you, it was _your_ idea!"

That made her almost augh. "And a damn good one, I thought."

"Yes, but I got the blame for it!"

"Of course you did. I was _so_ honourable, and oh the horrors I saw as I was unwillingly dragged through space and time by the dashingly handsome Doctor…" Aliya narrated the story with a catlike grin on her face.

"I don't think I like this version," He said with a frown. Just then, he was hit with another wave of her excess regeneration energy, which was still emitting from her. It made him stiffen.

She noticed, and seemed to know the cause as well. "Hey, it's okay, you know. You've seen it before." He knew what she meant, that he _had _seen her regenerate once before, despite the fact that regeneration was supposed to be as private as physical intimacy was to humans. With good reason, too, the Doctor thought as yet another wave of the energy hit him. With the effect it had on bystanders, the rule that only spouses or family should witness regeneration really was quite a good idea. And because her words could be taken differently – though in a way that would be no less true – he just kept himself still as he leant against the console.

_Romana at least had had the decency to put herself in another room…at least for the actual regeneration, which helped considerably…_

Because it was just a perfectly natural biological reaction, but would nonetheless be utterly inappropriate, so he would just keep very still and as long as she kept her distance, in 15 hours, they would be fine. Actually, getting the humans back in would definitely help.

* * *

As the Doctor called back in his human friends and they got to their feet, Aliya couldn't help but be a little concerned by the Doctor's behaviour. She understood that the regeneration energy could make things a little different, but why did he look so worried?

"Doctor, look, I didn't think this would bother you so much, but if you like I could just lock myself in a room for 15 hours if you like," She said with a small frown, eyeing his stiff stance. She supposed that with his human friends so close, it was quite strange.

"No, it's fine, really," He said quickly, just as his friends appeared at the top of the stairs, "We are both mature adults and it is just a bit of regeneration energy! Not a problem!"

"What's regeneration energy?" Rory asked, and having not realised the humans were there, the Doctor jumped.

"Nothing!" The Time Lord half squeaked. "Don't worry about it." Aliya herself flushed pink at having been caught talking about something so private, and sat on the jump seat. She still had trouble even looking at her old friend, knowing what he had done, knowing all the people that he had killed. It was just so colossally wrong...

"So…do you want to explain what happened now?" Amy eyed the two of them somewhat suspiciously.

"Well, Amy, when we're dying, us Time Lords do a thing."

"A thing?"

"A thing! A rather impressive thing, actually," He said as he straightened his bowtie. "Every cell in our body is rewritten. We survive by becoming a new person. Same memories, same core personality, different body."

"And that's what she did?" Rory eyed Aliya with new interest.

"Yep, that's what she did. Amy, Rory, this is Aliya, who is funnily enough a rather old friend of mine," He clapped Aliya on the shoulder before looking at the Ponds with a grin on his face.

"Bit more than a friend," Aliya put in, offhandedly.

"True, very true," He admitted, looking at her, "Best friend, actually, on several occasions."

That hadn't been exactly what she meant, but she decided not to worry about it. After all, against all odds, they were both alive and together. That was the most important thing at that moment, not petty details of their past relationship. Besides, she was hardly one to criticise his labelling of their relationship when she currently was struggling not to despise him with most of the fibres of her being.

"But you're not the last one anymore," Amy said, looking at Aliya with a kind of wonder, "And not only that, you actually know her? She's your friend?" When they both nodded, Amy grinned. "That, Doctor, has to be the best luck in the universe."

"Hang on though…if she had to regenerate, then she would have had to have died…" Rory realised, and turned his attention directly to Aliya. "What happened?"

"Well, obviously I can't be sure, but what I think happened is…" The blonde sighed. "When I was first put inside that mountain, from the few seconds I remember, there was something strange about the air. What I think happened, is that there was a chemical or quality in that place which my body adapted to being around, and eventually couldn't do without. Then, when I was taken away from it, my body didn't know how to cope anymore, so it began to shut down, and that's where regeneration came in."

"Oh," Rory said, "Okay then."

"Not bad," The Doctor commented.

"Thanks," Aliya said, back to avoiding his eyes.

"Not bad what?" Amy asked.

"She just simplified an explanation for Rory very nicely. I thought she would be out of practice."

"I'm a very considerate person," Aliya said, smirking despite not looking at him.

"Also somewhat more sarcastic than you've been in a long while," He noted, "…it's a bit like your third incarnation again, only with an actual generally pleasant disposition," He sounded thoughtful.

"I was fairly awful that time around, wasn't I?" She laughed slightly at herself. But mid-laugh, her hands flew to her abdomen and she let out a groan.

"Aliya?" The Doctor looked to her with concern, but she just waved him away.

"It's just the aftershocks, I'm fine," She assured him as she leant back on the seat.

"What aftershocks?" Rory frowned, looking between the two of them.

"Nasty side-effect of regeneration," Aliya explained, "Can last up to 15 hours, but really it's fine."

"Then why's he looking at you like that?"

"Why do you think he called himself the Doctor?" She asked them, but didn't wait for an answer. "The man who makes people better." She squeezed her eyes shut as another burst of hot, searing pain ran through her. But she managed to continue talking, almost as if nothing has happened. "He hates seeing others in pain. The urge to help is so strong, but he knows just as well as I do, if not better, that he can't do anything for me right now."

"He can't do anything?" Naturally, it was Rory who asked that question.

"No, and he doesn't need to, I'm fine," She said, but cringed briefly again.

A bang made them all look at the console, where the Doctor was clutching his hand and glaring while the TARDIS seemed to be protesting.

"Did you just hit her?"

The answer to that became obvious when one of the system alarms began to blare, warning of a failure, and the TARDIS began to hurtle through time and space, while its occupants merely had to hang on for dear life.


	5. Explanations

Despite having been in a crashing TARDIS before, that fact didn't make it any easier on any of the four people in the time machine. The Doctor was the first to recover, and started fiddling with controls and the scanner immediately.

"Please tell me you don't do that often." Aliya raised an eyebrow and eyed the console as though checking it for signs of damage. "This is a Type 40 TARDIS, she can't handle things like that all the time. With that fall, this thing isn't going to be able fly for at least an hour." The Doctor stole a quick glance at Aliya before typing into the controls for the damage readings.

"Hour and ten minutes actually, I'd say," He said.

"And you would know better?" The notion seemed to amuse her.

"Yes, actually," The Doctor said confidently, with slight defensiveness in his arrogance, "My TARDIS, I know her and what she can take."

Aliya's hand slid up the console, reaching out to the ship. "I'm surprised she is in as good shape as she is, with the stuff you put her through. And on that note, how are you two doing?" The humans had just picked themselves off the floor.

"We've been better." Amy said mildly.

"So, we are stuck here for an hour," Rory concluded.

"Which will be really boring. Unless...Can we go outside?" Amy asked the Doctor excitedly.

"Wait, environment checks," He said, rushing to the console.

"Since when?"

"Since always," He replied, feeling Aliya's eyes on him. It was regulation and the first rule that Time Lords were taught – to be sure the environment outside is safe. A gut feeling told him to check. He probably wouldn't have ignored it, but with her watching, he definitely was going to play it safe.

"Just one peek out the doors? Please."

"No," The Doctor said.

"Oh come on. It can't be that bad, if it's some awful desert then I'll just come back inside!"

"Actually, Amy, best not. The air out there is pretty toxic." The Doctor told her as he examined the readings more closely.

"Well that is just our luck isn't it? Crashing on a planet we can't explore." Amy pouted.

"Sorry, Pond, hopefully we'll have better luck next time," The Doctor patted her on the shoulder apologetically. "You and Rory will just have to find something else to do."

"What about you?" The ginger frowned.

"Aliya's been out of the world for a while, not sure how long it was on her end-"

"Three hundred years or so."

"Yes, see, three hundred – what? Three hundred years, really?" The Doctor's head whipped around towards the blonde he had just begun to get reacquainted with. She just nodded, shrugging. "Well, yeah, three hundred years for her. Several decades for me. Lot of stuff happened, some of which she probably deserves to hear about."

"But not me and Rory?" Amy deducted.

"Most of them aren't nice, Amy. But these are things about our people, and our past…she needs to know what's happened to the universe in her absence," The Doctor explained, understanding how it could seem to his companions.

"Other than, you know, the obvious. Extermination of my entire species and all," Aliya muttered, to herself more than anyone else, though Rory seemed to be listening. "Quite hard to beat, that one." Despite her blasé tone, her hands shook violently.

"No, it's fine, we get it," Rory said, "It's a big deal. Just don't forget that we're here."

"Thank you Rory," The other man nodded at him gratefully, "Alright then, Aliya, what do you say to a trip to the wardrobe? In my opinion, no regeneration is complete without a change of clothes."

She nodded. "Okay." He led the way out of the console room and she followed close behind. Once they got there, he led her through several sections that he thought she might like.

She browsed through several racks before pulling out a faded denim jacket. When she pulled it on over her dress, it was slightly loose.

"I like this, but not the dress," She said to him, and threw the jacket on a nearby chair.

The Doctor pulled one from a rack and held it out. "What about this one?"

She took the cap-sleeved pencil skirt dress from him and held it against herself, eyeing her reflection in one of the many mirrors randomly placed around the room. "No. It's too…formal." A different rack caught her eye and she rushed to it. From it she pulled a navy blue and cream striped shirt. "This. I like this."

He nodded and after half a minute's search he found a basic pair of dark, fitting jeans. "Try it with these. Super comfy and practical, trust me." She took them from him and went into one of the small changing rooms he kept in the wardrobe for convenience. While she was in there, he spotted a fedora on a hat stand and perched it on his head. One look in the mirror told him all he needed to know. He looked incredibly cool in every hat in existence.

"Nice hat."

He turned to see Aliya standing there, eyeing him with amusement. Her shirt sleeves came to her elbows, and it along with the jeans fit her well enough.

"So what do you think?"

He gave her a thumbs up. "Big yes. Just need shoes. Assuming you're keeping it simple. Not got the knack for that myself."

"Shoes or a hat," She joked, and plucked the fedora from his head despite his protest. "How does it look on me?" It sat perfectly on her bouncy head of hair, and her eyes sparkled with mirth from underneath its brim.

"Average."

She laughed, pretending to be offended, "Well thanks!" He took the hat back, just as she caught herself and stopped laughing, probably thinking that given the day's events, she didn't have much reason to.

"Leave my hat alone and go find some shoes!"

After a period of ten seconds she seemed to work out that he had just that little bit too much height on her, and that stealing the hat back would be too much work. So she went off on a search for footwear and came back, having been successful with a basic pair of dark, flat boots.

"Good?"

He nodded, giving her a once over. "Very good. One might even say excellent. And now, to the library." She went along with it as he led her out of the wardrobe and towards the huge collection of books.

"Why the library?"

"I've always found them calming. And you might appreciate that."

"Look, if something's happened since the War, just tell me," Aliya said, sensing his discomfort at breeching the subject.

"Lots of things happened!"

"Like?"

"Like Daleks, like I said. A few of them escaped, so they're still trouble, just not able to conquer the galaxy, or least they're not trying to," The Doctor said, and his words made any trace of lightness or happiness leave her face.

"So your mass murder only did half the job anyway," She said stonily, making him flinch.

"I tried, I promise you, I tried. But they have always managed to survive. Always, even when I lose-" He nearly said _Rose_, but aside from it being a difficult topic, it wasn't enough of a description. "-almost everything."

"Okay, Daleks, fine, sure," Aliya said, pinching the bridge of her nose, clearly bothered but unable to do much about it. "Anything else I should know?"

"Oh, the Master survived too."

"_What?!" _Her head snapped up so quickly he nearly flinched. The fear and outrage in her eyes made him feel guilty for saying it so bluntly and giving her a heart attack or close enough.

"Don't worry, he's gone now, he can't hurt anyone anymore," He amended.

"I'm confused, explain it properly."

"He hid outside of the war too, ran away like a coward, to the end of the universe. He even used the Chameleon Arch."

After blinking, Aliya let out an ironic little laugh. "He became human. That is priceless."

"But later, much later, we were ended up there, and we found him."

"What happened?"

"It's a long story. Can I…show you instead?" He held his hand out tentatively, but she nodded, not at all worried at the idea. Her hands grabbed his and held them to her temples, pulling him in. "Okay, here's a summary." He pressed his forehead against hers and pushed the mental link open, which was much harder to do than it should have been. Perhaps it was somehow linked to the fact that he couldn't sense her while she was trapped, and even after couldn't pinpoint who she really was. But with a bit of extra force, the link opened.

The memories flowed between them, and he let her see everything that happened from the moment the TARDIS landed on Malcassairo to him and Martha finding out that Jack would apparently go on to become the Face of Boe. Then he let it skip to the Master's return several Christmases after, and to the Master's fate of returning to the Time Lock.

When he finally let go, her eyes were sad and concerned.

"So he was no different. And he's in the Time Lock now."

"Yes."

"Good," She said, firmly, but he heard the slight waver in her voice. "He deserves it for what he did to all those people. You reversed it, but you remember it so he did it."

"You don't wish he were somehow alive? I wanted him to come with me. I wanted to – to look after him. He might have been crazed and evil, but he is still a Time Lord." The Doctor couldn't help but speak of their old friend with a kind of respect. That being said, there would always be things he wouldn't be able to forgive the Master for. It didn't mean the man deserved to be dead.

The question threw Aliya. "I-" She clenched her fists and looked at the floor with kind of indecisive defeat. "I don't know. He's a Time Lord and therefore he should be alive but he doesn't deserve to be free and there's a part of me that just wants him gone, forever. He fought death for so long…I want him to lose." Her hands shook as she looked back up at him. "But I'm not impartial. It's far too personal."

"For me too."

"What else happened? How many companions have you had since I last saw you?" Her subject change wasn't subtle but he went with it.

Stabs of guilt were what he got when he thought of his past companions, those three in particular. "Three. Ish. You saw Jack, he was with Rose and I briefly before-"

"Before you left him behind," Aliya finished, having seen Jack's accusation in his memories. "Because of what he was. He's…he's a fixed point? Really? The feeling, even just through you, it was so…wrong." The Doctor nodded. "How did it happen? You said that your companion Rose absorbed the Time Vortex?" Again, he nodded. She stared at him as if he were carrying the plague. "What the hell?! Are you out of your mind? How could you let her do that?"

"I tried to send her home in the TARDIS, she somehow opened the console!" He said quickly, unprepared to have to defend himself. "And she brought Jack back to life, permanently. Probably because she couldn't control it."

The blonde relaxed surprisingly quickly. "I'm just going to try not to think too much about that. But…Rose, what was she like? All your companions are so different."

"She was…" The Doctor couldn't think of words to describe Rose Tyler. "Fantastic. Absolutely fantastic."

Something in her eyes was a little too knowing as she listened. "And to you?"

"She…was a light at the end of a very dark tunnel," He said after a moment's pause.

Aliya smiled softly. "I'm glad to hear it. Did Martha come after her?"

"Yes, then Donna, then the Ponds," He smiled brightly, and she smiled back. Somehow, she knew not to ask what had happened to any of them. He appreciated that, even if the idea of someone knowing so well the pattern of how life treated those close him…well, it didn't quite sit right.

"Sounds like you're doing just fine without me," She joked.

"Little bit," He grinned, making her smile back, just a little.

"Anything else I should know?"

He considered the question. He wasn't obligated to tell her anything, but there was one other thing he wanted to tell her. "Yes, actually. Aliya, this is going to sound strange, but…I had a daughter." The uncomprehending look on her face made him elaborate. "Donna named her. Jenny."

"I don't understand."

"We landed on a planet in the middle of civil war. They had progenation machines to breed more troops and they took a sample off my hand. She came out as a fully grown young woman. A generated anomaly, which is how Donna thought of her name. Jenny," He couldn't help but speak her name with sadness. His beautiful blonde daughter, who had been like a reminder of all the things he should have had but the universe had snatched. Meanwhile, his friend's eyes were unfathomable as they eyed him. "But she…died, took a bullet for me and didn't regenerate. She wasn't even a day old." Aliya didn't say anything, she just reached her hand out as if to comfort him, before bringing it back to her.

It was obvious that she still wasn't comfortable even touching him after hearing what he had done. Not that he blamed her - he was just as horrified with himself. But he couldn't help but selfishly hope that she forgave him sooner rather than later. He wasn't sure how long he would be able to cope with seeing that disgust in her eyes when she looked at him.

"Why don't you show me around the TARDIS? Everything's different from how it used to be, but I suppose it has been several centuries," She nudged him, knowing of his love for his ship. Her distraction worked, very well, and he was soon dragging her along and pointing out different features and new rooms which had popped up across the years.

When he opened one door in particular, he was pleasantly surprised to find a room he had been hoping to find for quite a while by that point.

"So this is where the swimming pool got to."

The room was bright, made of pearl whites, blues and lilacs. The rim of the pool that not covered by the powder blue water was a beautiful lilac. The pool took up almost the entire room, and the walkway around the edge was only a metre of two wide. Aliya smiled at him a fraction as she looked around his shoulder from where they stood in the doorway.

"What do you think?"

"It's definitely pretty," She said vaguely, "Not really an area of interest for me."

"No, you're all…" He had to run back through his memory to recall things that she liked. "Books – Agatha Christie in particular, engines, mechanics, chess. Oh, and snowball fights! Dancing too. A little bit, anyway."

"Only for fun, and if I have the right partner," She said with a small grin.

"I'm sure we'll find you one," He assured her, and made to walk off. When she didn't follow, he turned around to see her staring at him with an odd look on her face. "What?"

"Did I…do something wrong?" She asked suddenly. He strode back to her side and took her hand very gently in his, deliberately enough that she could pull away if she chose to do so. She didn't, but did go very still.

"No. Why would you think that?" He tried searching her face for answers, but her eyes had too many thoughts, he couldn't read any of them.

"Because you're acting…I don't know," Aliya eyed their joined hands for a moment before bringing her gaze back to his face. "Indifferent."

"Indifferent?"

"Well, yes."

"First you tell me you can't look at me, and you keep your distance, and you think _I'm _being indifferent?" He asked. Her face flushed a little.

"But it's different. I can't help but feel...weird after knowing - after knowing what you did," She said, frowning as she looked at him, "But _I _have't committed any acts of murder. And especially knowing that you've gone all this time thinking that you've been on your own...I don't know, I suppose I just expected you to-"

He could barely comprehend what she was saying, it was so ridiculous. "Aliya, do you even realise how big this is? I woke up this morning, thinking I was alone in the universe, as I have for years, and now I'm going to go to sleep knowing that for the first time in far too long, I'm not."

"But you-"

"If I seem indifferent, believe me, I'm not. But Aliya, you yelled at me, you _screamed," _He reminded her, and shrugged slightly. "I thought it was rather plain that you wanted your space, and that is perfectly alright." He held her gaze and resisted to urge to pull her into a hug or touch her face to try and get his point across. "But I am _not _indifferent about you being alive. By all laws of the universe, you shouldn't be here. But you _are_. It might just be the most miraculous thing that has ever happened to me. Aliyanadevoralundar of House Arpexia, I am so _taken aback_to have you standing in front of me because it is so impossible and brilliant."

At that, she smiled softly, looking rather relieved.

"With that being said..." He smiled back at her. "I'd very much like to hug you now."

She got there first. Her arms wrapped around him in a very tight hug, and he just laughed contently as he held her to him like the precious gift from the universe that in this case she very much was.

And he tried not to think about the fact that regeneration energy was still seeping from her hair and her very skin in a way that was terribly distracting in the worst of ways. He let her go, and smiled at her to be sure she understood that he was not in any way indifferent about her being alive.

"Okay," Aliya said, smiling as her hands kept a hold on his arms, not appearing to want to let go of him entirely. "Because I was starting to think-"

"There you two are!"

Both Time Lords jumped in surprise, and turned towards the voice that had spoken.

"River!" The Doctor exclaimed, somewhat pleasantly surprised as he recognised the curvy, curly haired figure.

River Song grinned. "Hello sweetie."


	6. River Song

It didn't take Aliya more than a second to realise that the Doctor hadn't protested to her calling him sweetie, and be confused and intrigued by it.

"River," He smiled, not looking remotely surprised._ Does he have three companions at the moment? _Aliya speculated to herself as she ran her eyes over the new arrival, who wore an outfit of leggings, boots, and a long shirt, completed with utility belt and alpha mison blaster.

"I can't say that Amy and Rory were massively helpful. I asked where you were, they said you were down the corridor," River told the Doctor before her eyes moved to Aliya, "Hello Aliya. You're looking...fresh."

"...thank you," Aliya responded automatically, even more bemused, as the woman apparently knew her.

"Amy said that you're broken down," River continued, walking back the way she had come. The Doctor followed, and consequently, so did Aliya. "His fault, no doubt…" The woman directed that part to Aliya, "How long until they'll be up and running again?

"About half an hour, give or take," The Time Lady shrugged.

"Good thing I have my Vortex Manipulator then, isn't it? We'll just jump forward and skip it," River grinned smugly as if there were nothing uncommon about the device on her wrist that she was holding out towards the Doctor.

"I don't think that is a good idea, using a Vortex Manipulator inside the TARDIS could be potentially very dangerous, River," He said uneasily.

"You were the one that taught me all about it and how to fly it. You know as well as I do that it'll be perfectly harmless. Tell him he's being stupid Aliya. He always listens to you," River said to Aliya offhandedly. She began setting coordinates on the manipulator without looking up while Aliya frowned thoughtfully.

"Well, my brain might be slightly adled at the moment, but the interior of TARDISes are supposed to be in states of temporal grace, meaning that a vortex manipulator wouldn't be able to cause any damage…_assuming _that nothing is currently faulty in the ship that could cause the temporal grace to be broken," Aliya took the opportunity to give the Doctor a very pointed look. Under it, he merely smirked and straightened his bowtie.

"Of course not, my TARDIS is fully operational," He said surely, and Aliya somehow found herself sharing a disbelieving look with River, who seemed to understand completely.

"Off we go then," River said, and held out her arm with the vortex manipulator attached.

Aliya found herself hesitating due to the question nagging the back of her brain. "Look, I don't mean to be rude…and it's obvious that you know me, but I haven't met you before. Who are you, exactly?"

River froze, her eyes widening ever so slightly. "You really haven't met me yet, have you?" The Time Lady hesitantly shook her head and found herself looking a little apologetic. A slither of pain was evident in River's eyes for a fraction of a second before it disappeared. "I suppose this day's been a long time coming, you just don't expect it…" She held out her hand for Aliya to shake. "Doctor River Song, Archeologist. Soon to be Professor."

"Nice to meet you," Aliya shook her hand and smiled, albeit a little unsurely, "You already know me so I won't bother saying my name."

"Efficient as always," River grinned before turning to the Doctor. "Just quickly, shall we do diaries? Where are we this time?"

"Pandorica and Orient Express," The Doctor said.

"So still early days then. You don't know I am, but that's all fine, let's just go. Hands on the manipulator." The Doctor and Aliya put their hands on top of the keypad and the three of them zapped thirty minutes in the future. Of course, everything looked exactly the same, except for the fact that when the three of them got back to the console room, Amy and Rory were waiting for them.

"Where have you been? We've been looking for you guys!" Amy said crossly.

"That would be my fault Amy, sorry. They let me in from outside and I suggested using the manipulator to avoid having to wait," River explained. "You know me, ever impatient."

"It would have been nice if you could have told us. Maybe just shout out that you were leaving us alone for half an hour," Amy suggested with a sigh, and the amused and suggestive look that River threw her made the ginger smirk a little.

The Doctor started working the TARDIS, and to Aliya's amazement, River began to help.

"You can fly the TARDIS?" She asked with fascination.

"She flies it better than him," Amy told her, and the blonde Time Lady's eyebrows shot up to the ceiling.

"Does not," The Doctor protested.

"Of course not sweetie," River cooed at him before smirking. "Now are you going to fly it properly for once?"

"Absolutely..." He said enthusiastically. "...not!" He threw back the last lever vigorously and the TARDIS made its usual wheezing sound before jolting into flight.

"So is it not supposed to fly like this then?" Rory yelled in confusion over the sound of the engines. No one bothered to answer him. The Doctor flicked some more switches as we landed and then backed away looking satisfied.

"You're ridiculous. I swear I don't know why I bother with you sometimes!" River said, sounding exasperated, but she caught the Doctor's knowing eye and smirked at him with twinkling eyes.

"Neither do I. I suspect we'll both find out at some point though," He replied.

"Where are we? When are we?" Amy asked him with interest.

"Ask River. She was the one who put in the coordinates," The Doctor said, checking the screen.

"51st century. My house," River said with a grin.

"You just got here," Amy pointed out.

"I needed a ride, my manipulator wouldn't have been able to make the jump from where I was," The curly haired woman shrugged.

"I am not your taxi service!" The Doctor said crossly.

"And it's sweet that you think you get a say in it." River shrugged. "Anyway. I'm a respectable member of society these days."

"Respectable? You?" Although he said it jokingly - and rather flirtatiously, Aliya realised with surprise - there was something unusual behind his words.

"Well, not _too _respectable, that would be incredibly dull," said River, waggling her eyebrows. "But my final exam is in a few hours. You can't become a Professor with working for it." She opened the doors and the Doctor walked down to stand next to her. "Some of us actually have to earn our titles. And if I pass, then they might already have an expedition for me. Early days in the planning of course, and I would have to go on a brief initiation expedition first, but then I might already have a big one lined up."

"What's the 'big one'?"

"They call it the Library. I should call you in on the psychic paper and you could help me with it." River revealed. The Doctor frowned, and although it was gone almost instantly, Aliya noticed pain flicker across his face when she said the word 'Library'.

"Yes. That is a _very _good idea. How long exactly, until you go?" He enquired curiously.

"Don't worry. It won't be for a while. They probably won't even pick the team for another nine months, so probably not for at least a year." She shrugged.

"Okay then. That's good, that's very good," He said, looking very distracted. River shot him a slightly uncomprehending look before turning her attention back to Aliya.

"Good bye Aliya. You'll be seeing me again soon enough, I imagine." She gave the other woman a large grin before sending one up to the Ponds, who were still up on the console platoform. "Amy, Rory, until the next time." She finally met eyes with the Doctor and winked. "Bye sweetie. I imagine we'll see each other again soon." With that, she began walking down the 51st century street.

"Who _is_ she?" Aliya asked in disbelief, staring after her. She had never seen anyone talk to the Doctor that way that River Song did. Suddenly, she was hit by a strange desire to laugh.

"River Song. My future...something. We keep meeting in the wrong order. It can be very frustrating. If I had a white point star for every time she said 'spoilers'…" The Doctor shook his head, frustrated, but in a good-natured way.

"So you're on different chronological time lines. That must get annoying after a while," Aliya deducted, and he nodded.

"You could say that," The Doctor agreed, and proceeded back up to the console. "Now, I've been thinking. We were trying for Rio, but didn't get there. Rory, Amy, do you fancy a honeymoon?" He beamed at his companions, proud of the idea.

"In Rio?"

He didn't answer, and merely went about finishing take off. Once the TARDIS had materialised in their new destination, Aliya ran to the doors eagerly and Amy followed.

"Hey!" The Scottish woman said, "This isn't Rio!"

"Oh come on Pond," The Doctor said as he stepped out of the TARDIS behind her. "This is way better than Rio. You're on Hivera, it's a honeymoon planet, literally, it married an asteriod." He told her, and she laughed.

Amy shook her head but had a huge grin on her face, and she immediately turned to Rory and grabbed his arm excitedly. "We're having a honeymoon on an alien planet! How cool is that?" Rory smiled, looking around at the pearly white buildings and pristine golden sky.

"Brilliant," He said, slightly awed but clearly as ecstatic as she was about it.

"You two can go off and do...I don't know, whatever it is you married people do," The Doctor said vaguely. He felt around in his pockets and pulled out an intergalactic credit card, a narrow metallic stick about the size of a USB memory drive. "That and shop! This has money on it. Unlimited credits, so you can buy what you want. Now I'll be right back." He walked down the street and asked one of the gold skinned pedestrians what the date was. He came swaggering back and told the Pond's that he would return in two week's time.

"Don't forget, and don't be late. I've spent enough of my life waiting for you, I won't be doing any more of it." Amy said as The Doctor initiated a three-way hug for the two of them and himself.

"Goodbye, Ponds. See you in two weeks. Come on Aliya," He waved to Amy and Rory one last time and entered the TARDIS.

"Um, it was really nice to meet you," Aliya told them with a small smile and an awkward wave before she made haste to follow the Doctor into the TARDIS.

"Right then, off we go," The Doctor said cheerfully, grinning at her as she made her way back up to the console platform. He noticed the hesitant look in her eyes and paused, face falling a little. "What, what's wrong?"

"I was just thinking about how you found me. You never said."

"Oh..." He frowned. "It was the TARDIS actually. She sensed one of her sisters, so she brought us straight there."

"One of her sisters? Doctor...was my TARDIS back there?" How it hadn't occurred to her earlier was a worry, but regeneration did tend to have an effect on the memory.

"Yes, I think it was yours."

"Okay, let's go and get it then," She said, taking a step towards the console only to have him block her path.

"Aliya, it dematerialised when I touched it. It was blocking the opening to that mountain. If it hadn't have moved, I would possibly have never found you. But there's no way to know where that TARDIS is."

"We can scan for it! She found her once, she can find her again!"

The Doctor sighed. "I don't think so. It was a fluke the first time."

"Well, we'll go back anyway, just to see-"

"Aliya, no."

"Why not?"

"I'm not taking you back to Karn, that place killed you, I'm not risking it doing so again."

That made her stop. "I was on Karn?" He nodded. "That's...bizarre to say the least. But you have to take me back, that's my TARDIS, and while we might not have the connection that you and your TARDIS have, it's still important."

"I'm not risking it, Aliya."

Aliya stared at him for several seconds, trying to understand his actions and failing rather miserably. "That's rather awful of you. It's not exactly fair for you to be able to galavant around the universe however you like, but now I'm what? Going to be stuck on one planet unless I buy myself a normal...spaceship?" She couldn't keep down the shudder at the thought. "You of all people should be able to understand how I might feel about that."

The Doctor looked so bewildered at her words that it was almost comical. "Stuck on one planet? Why would you be stuck on one planet?"

"Well, without a TARDIS, transport is going to be difficult, isn't it?"

His eyes widened before they regarded her with a kind of disappointment. "Oh. You'll be...heading off on your own, then."

She nodded. "Bit less choice without a TARDIS, but I'll manage, I suppose."

"Well, since you don't seem to want this one, it's going to be your own fault, isn't it?" The Doctor muttered.

"What?"

"I suppose it's not surprising, I just thought that you'd changed your mind."

"About what?"

"Well, just before the war, you said that you-"

"I know what I said, but are you saying...do you _want _me here? In your TARDIS? Travelling with you?" It was an absurd idea really, considering how she had hurt him several centuries before in a similar situation. Her weakness had led to selfishness...which had led to hurting him.

He looked at her oddly. "Of course I do."

"Oh," She frowned, having not expected that.

"Well, you don't have to," He said quickly, glancing over at her worriedly, "I know that last time you couldn't quite-"

"No, I want to," Aliya interrupted quickly, "And it's different now. _I'm _different now. Stronger. I want to see everything and I think I can deal with everything that comes with it now…" She stared up and him, sharply taking in a deep breath before looking away rather deliberately. "And anyway, where else would I go?" She laughed, somewhat desperately. "You're literally the only person I have left now." Her own words suddenly seemed to dawn on her, and before either of them knew what happened, a tear was rolling down her cheek. "Oh lord-" She choked on her words and covered her mouth with her hand as the second round of shock over losing her planet, people, family, and friends, hit her. Aliya shook her head in an attempt to get rid of the tears but more of them fell.

"Oh Aliya," The Doctor said with suddenly tenderness, and pulled her into his arms once again, " I'm sorry, I keep forgetting how fresh it is for you. I've had decades and you've had about an hour."

"It just hurts, you know? How can an absence hurt?" She whispered into his shirt.

"Because it means they're all gone and you feel empty, but I promise, it gets better, and do you know why?" He stroked her hair gently and she lifted her head from his chest to look up at him with tear streaked eyes.

"Why?"

"Because I'm here, you're not alone, Aliya, you are never going to be alone, I promise," He touched her face for a moment, looking deep into her eyes, "You and me, we're in this together now, okay? The last two left, and we're sticking together."

Aliya nodded, wiping her tears off her face, trying to calm herself down. "Okay," was all she managed to say as she slowly pulled away from him. She sat down on bottom step of the set of stairs that led up to the other rooms of the TARDIS, now much more controlled. "Just…need a minute."

"Of course," The Doctor said, voice still laced with concern as he watched her, "Just let me know when you're ready."

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**The Ponds will not be gone for too long, I promise. :) **


	7. Sontarans on Strepto: The Mission

**And the first original adventure begins!**

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Aliya had been just about ready to get off the step she was sitting on and go back to actual social interaction when the TARDIS phone rang. The Doctor answered it, and after some surprisingly short and serious responses to whoever was on the other line, he hung up the phone and began operating the controls.

"What's happening? Who was on the phone?" She asked him.

"The Shadow Proclamation, it seems they want to have a chat with me."

"Why in the name of Rassilon are they interested in you?"

"Long story, most of which might not even be relevant." With the usual wheezing and jolts, the ship materialised. "You coming?"

"Sure."

They exited the TARDIS to come face to face with the Shadow Architect and a dozen Judoon. They did their typical questioning in their language, to which the Doctor responded in kind.

"Doctor?" The woman asked, clearly unsure about his identity.

"Yes, it's me. New face. Sorry about running off last time." He grinned a Doctor-ish smile, but it didn't seem to appease her.

"We have much bigger problems than your running tendencies, Doctor. This way." She walked briskly and they hurried to follow her. The place was white, pristine and new looking, although Aliya had studied it in school and knew that it was in fact quite an old establishment. The woman crossed a large room to type into a computer, which brought up a planet that both Time Lords recognised to be the planet Strepto.

"Water Hags giving you trouble?" Aliya joked, but fell silent when the Doctor gave her a reprimanding look.

"The Water Hags have been perfectly peaceful ever since the Doctor returned their planet." The Shadow Architect informed the other woman. "And you are?"

"Aliya."

"Oh…another one of his human…companions."

"No-"

The Doctor cut her off, "Yes, yes she is," He said mildly to the Architect, and shot his friend a pleading look the moment the albino woman turned away. She huffed but decided not to argue with him then and there, focusing on a different question altogether.

"She said that you 'returned their planet'. Did you steal it?" Aliya asked the Doctor, amused.

"The Daleks stole it along with twenty six other planets –including Earth-to make what they called 'The Reality Bomb'. They would have literally destroyed all of creation, but we managed to stop them," The Doctor said.

"Had you not stopped it I would have been forced to punish you, Doctor, since you did ignore my commands," The red eyed woman said.

"So what's the problem with Strepto if the Water Hags are peaceful?" He said.

"The planet has been invaded by the 11th Sontaran Battle fleet. They are wanted for numerous crimes, the most important an unprovoked attack on five Judoon ships." The nearest Judoon said.

"Sontarans never did know what was good for them," Aliya muttered.

"Why can't you just go to Strepto and sort it out yourself? You have enough to fight them," The Doctor suggested.

"Our attempt failed. The Sontarans have released a chemical into the air that is toxic to Judoon," said the Judoon who had spoken previously. Both Time Lords were starting to figure why they were there and didn't like where it seemed to be going.

"Already we have lost five hundred soldiers. We do not send people to their deaths," The Shadow Architect said.

"Yet you planned to go up against the whole Dalek fleet, and would have gone through with it had I stayed," The Doctor pointed out with an edge to his voice.

"That's in the past, stop worrying about it," his friend told him, and turned to the people in front of them. "You want us to go there and get rid of the Sontarans."

"That is correct," The Judoon confirmed. "You will be given a teleportation device to place on the ship which will transport them here to be trialled."

"And if we refuse?" The Doctor said cautiously.

"Then you will be guilty of obstruction of justice and resistance against the authorities," The Judoon said.

"Knew you were going to say that." The Doctor said, sighing. "Come on, Aliya." He turned and strode off towards the TARDIS. Aliya frowned and held her hand out to the Shadow Architect expectantly, and the mass teleportation inducer was placed into it.

"We appreciate your co-operation and help," The Architect said.

"I'm sure," The Time Lady started to walked back to the TARDIS. "Forgetting something?" She asked him as she entered. He turned to face her and looked confused until he saw the device she was holding.

"Ah," He said as understanding finally hit him, "Yes, that might help." She threw it to him and he reached out to grab it. He fumbled with it and almost dropped it, but finally had it safe in his hands.

"Note to self: Never throw things to the Doctor. He can't catch." Aliya teased as she approached the console platform, picking up her jacket that was slung over the rail. She put it on and pushed the sleeves up to her elbows.

"Can too. I just wasn't expecting it," He defended.

"Sure sure," Aliya touched the console lightly, just enjoying having the familiar sense of life underneath her fingers, even if it wasn't quite the same as her own TARDIS, though she was incredibly attached to this one as well.

"Aliya...?"

"Yeah?" When she stuck her head around the Time Rotor, the Doctor was holding something out to her. She peered at it.

It was a sonic screwdriver, with a sleek silver body and yellow tip, and when she pressed the button the side experimentally, the light glowed a bright yellow gold as it let off a sonic peal.

"The TARDIS just gave it to me," The Doctor said, "But mine's not broken. Regardless of who it's meant for, me having two would be somewhat counter-productive."

She turned the device over in her hands a few times. "It's flimsy...looks like it would break if you dropped it. Or as though it's only got ten decent uses in it."

"The TARDIS can see the future...maybe we're going to need it, but only this time." He just shrugged.

"Crappy or not, I don't think I deserve it." After all, he had only just taken her on board again...and Romana had made her own.

"Probably why you didn't get a good one."

She laughed at his jibe. "I might go and grab that jacket I liked from the wardrobe, just in case this planet is cold."

"Okay."

The denim jacket wasn't difficult to locate, and when she got back to the console room, the Doctor seemed to be talking to himself.

"I can't believe that I'm doing this. I never agree to anything like this. Not that it would change anything. I just get thrown into it and events play out almost exactly how they would have if I had agreed to this in the first place. Still, I suppose it can't hurt to actually know what was coming," He rambled on in an odd sort of monologue. Aliya coughed pointedly and his gaze fell on her.

"Are you going to keep talking to yourself, or are we going to get on with it? The Transmat isn't going to place and activate itself, you know. Of course if you're nervous, I could always go alone…" Aliya joked slyly, knowing that would provoke a heated response from him, most likely about his dignity and authority. Regardless of what she knew he thought about regeneration, deep down, the Doctor never really changed.

"Nervous?" He scoffed. "I've fought millions of Daleks at once. I'm the Oncoming Storm."

"I am aware."

"I'm not afraid of oversized - or undersized, depending on how you look at it - potatoes, even if they do have guns." He said resiliently.

"That," Aliya said, "Is racist. "

"Well, yes." He admitted, slightly embarrassed. "Doesn't mean it isn't true, though." The two of them then took off their shoes, having seen the swamp outside on the scanner, and jumped into the bog.

"You better not have landed us in the middle of nowhere," Aliya said as they trudged through the swamp.

"Don't get all touchy. I programmed the TARDIS to lock onto any unusual technological readings. The Sontaran's main control centre shouldn't be too far," He told her, and we kept wading on. The Doctor spied some vines nearby. "We might be able to use those to get out of this." Aliya grabbed onto one and used it to pull herself out of the water - though it did take her several tries and a push from the Doctor, but then she was able to help him from above.

"Shouldn't it be the other way around?" He asked as he did his best to brush some of the mud and dirt off his trousers. "Damsel in distress, and all that." Aliya grabbed his hand and gestured for him to lead her through the jungle of trees and vines if he was so all knowing.

"You know me, Doctor." Aliya said from behind him. "I never really cared for the whole 'damsel in distress' thing." Suddenly, something grabbed her from behind, a sturdy, thickset arm around her neck, the other holding her in an unbreakable grip. The Time Lady breathed in sharply, surprised and worried. "Although..." She said slowly, and the Doctor stopped in his tracks, clearly sensing that something was wrong due to the distinguished change in her voice, "You never know."

As the Doctor turned to face her, she met his eyes evenly, not wanting to seem scared. But Aliya couldn't stop all the fear from showing on her face as she eyed the blue armoured arm around her neck which belonged to the Sontaran that had a gun pointed at the middle of her back.

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**Reviews are always appreciated and replied to! :) **


	8. Sontarans on Strepto: Severed Connection

"Well, that could have gone better," Aliya said casually as a Sontaran chained her arms to the wall of the dungeon cell.

It hadn't taken long after they were ambushed for the Sontarans to bring them to their base as prisoners and lock them up in an underground stone room with metal shackles already waiting. It was very uncomfortable having one's arms suspended out to the sides, unable to move, but neither of them could do much about it.

"So, got a plan?" Aliya asked the Doctor when the Sontaran had left to patrol the corridor outside, and was out of hearing distance.

"Not yet. I'm working on it," He admitted. Instead of giving him the usual, angry, 'you're a Time Lord, you are supposed to have a plan' he usually got from his companions, she merely smiled and lent back against the wall.

"Okay. What have you got so far?" She said, looking at the ceiling.

"Um, nothing really," He said, embarrassed. She gave him a knowing smile that almost seemed endearing (as if he was a cute little puppy or something that had just tripped over its own feet), and he felt the need to get defensive, as he really didn't appreciate being looked at like that. It was humiliating. "Maybe if I knew what that look meant I would be able to make a better comeback, but could you just stop looking at me like that?" Aliya shrugged as best as she was able with her arms restricted from movement and returned her gaze to the ceiling.

"I should probably try and come up with one too, then, in case you can't," She said, as if she had expected as much. There was silence. She looked at both of her hands in turn, and tried to pull out of her restraints before becoming still and silent once more. After a minute or two, she said, "Okay, I've got an idea, but you're not going to like it."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'm still within fifteen hours of regenerating, Doctor, or had you forgotten that?" Aliya thought about different incredible things she had heard of Time Lords doing within their fifteen hours. Romana, she knew, had been able to cycle through several different bodies to see which one she preferred before making her decision concrete. Others had been known to regrow limbs - as the Doctor apparently had, which she now knew about do to seeing his hand in his memories. So, she stared at her right hand, and focused on the molecular structure in the joint of her wrist, where the shackle was holding it.

Slowly, the fibres of her bone, muscle and skin separated enough within the pale golden glow of her excess regeneration energy, and her hand detached from her arm. Her arm immediately fell to her side while the hand - now unbalanced - fell out the other side of the shackle and hit the floor.

That was when the pain hit. She had to refrain from letting loose with every curse word she knew, but some still came out under her breath. She clutched her stump and concentrated on letting her excess energy flow to it. Slowly but surely, the hand rebuilt itself before her eyes. When it was done, she wriggled the fingers experimentally and giggled. She then set to work immediately, retrieving her sonic screwdriver from her pocket with her new hand and sonicking her other trapped limb out of the shackle before freeing her legs as well. "So what do you think? Good plan?" The Time Lady asked the Doctor brightly as she unlocked his shackles with the sonic.

"Great plan. I'd say brilliant, except for the part where you caused yourself immense pain," He replied, and she rolled her eyes.

"Doctor, if I hadn't got rid of it, it would never have worked. Speaking of which..." She told him, shaking her head at his idiocy before walking back over to where her old hand was lying on the floor. She picked it up placed it in her jacket pocket. After all, spare samples of identical biological code were handy things to have.

"That is disgusting. Is that really necessary?" The Doctor said in revulsion.

"Yes," Aliya said bluntly.

"Fine then." He sighed. "Carry a hand in your pocket for all I care. Let's just get out of here before that Sontaran comes back." He took out his own sonic and led the way out of the dungeon. They raced along the corridor and up a long flight of stairs. By the time they got the top, the walls had changed from stone to futuristic metal, and they came out onto a landing of sorts. Aliya pulled the Doctor behind a column after they heard the sound of heavy footsteps approaching.

"Got a plan yet?" She whispered to him.

"Bit of a plan. I'm working on it," He said, "Basically, we have to place the transmat on their ship. However, I don't think we're on the ship. So... that could be a problem."

"I don't think we're on the ship either," Aliya agreed, "I think we're in some sort of base. We need to find a way to get them all back on their ship. Which... we've yet to find."

"I have a plan that might work, but we need to find the control room," The Doctor said. His companion edged around the column and looked over the rail of the landing.

"There seems to be some sort of control board down here," She said as he joined her by the rail. They peered down to the control deck that seemed to be abandoned.

"This is our chance. Come on," The Doctor said, and they crept around the corner, finding stairs that led down to where they wanted to go. The control board that was very close to them looked complicated, but nothing that either of them hadn't seen before. Aliya lifted her fingers to the switches and buttons, memories of learning basic computer hacking in one of her brief stints away from Gallifrey helping her along. The Doctor had instructed her to just take down the firewalls while he did the proper work, and soon the satisfying sound of alarm bells rang out.

"Evacuation alarm? Doctor, that's brilliant!" Aliya told him, grinning.

"Yes, well, only now, every Sontaran on the planet is going to be heading for the ship. We need to get out of here and to the ship fast, or we're going to get caught," He replied, and she realised that he was right.

"Well, then," She beamed cheekily, "We'd better run." The Doctor beamed back at her and grabbed her hand as they dashed from the control room with all of the speed they could muster. The thundering of footsteps sounded from overhead and below, but they burst through the front door like their lives depended on it, which is somewhat did, and found themselves once more surrounded by the boggy air, which Aliya had never thought she would be so glad to smell. "Where do we go now?" She asked the Doctor. He whipped out his sonic and scanned the area.

"This way, I think. Just follow the Sontaran stench," They trudged along, following the boot prints made in the damp mud. Aliya loved the feeling of the mud squelching through her toes as they walked, as being trapped in the mountain for so long had given her an entirely new way of looking at the universe. Everything she saw, everything she touched she considered to be wonderful and beautiful. With exception, of course. _Sontaran ships_, She thought, as the one they were looking for came into view, _were _not_ on the list. _Being a mechanic and engineer of extremely sophisticated time travel capsules/TARDISes, such crude craftsmanship did not appeal to her at all.

"How, do we get on? Is there a door or something? Come on Doctor, you've dealt with Sontarans before, I know you have," She pressed him urgently.

"I think, there should be an entry point somewhere over there." He used the sonic to pointing in the direction he meant and grinned. "Should we give it a try?"

"Undoubtedly." The entry point he had spoken of was completely blocked, although he was doing his best to sonic it open.

"It's not opening." He said angrily.

"Would two sonics help?" Aliya offered helpfully, turning her own sonic screwdriver over in her fingers.

"Would two sonics help?" He muttered in a slightly mocking tone. "Would _two sonics _help? TWO SONICS!" The realisation that her offer had not been stupid – as he had originally thought – but the very thing he needed, came to him gradually and still managed to catch him by surprise. "Aliya, that's perfect!" He said excitedly and kissed her forehead quickly before wrenching the sonic out of her hand and pointing both devices at the closed escape pod hatch door. It instantly opened and they hurried inside. "Oh, my TARDIS is good, she knew that we'd need it, that's why she gave it to me!"

The space was empty, which meant the escape pod had already been released, which was lucky for them or else they wouldn't have been able to get in. Sonicking their way through the next set of doors, they came out into a corridor that could lead anywhere.

"Don't suppose you've memorised the layout of Sontaran ships, by any chance?" Aliya asked hopefully without really expecting an affirmative answer.

"No, sorry."

"Ah, well, it was a long shot," She sighed, "In the meantime, can we just plant the transmat and get out?" The Doctor took half a glance at the door in front of him before placing his hand on the touch pad in a three finger shape made for the Sontaran's three fingered hands.

"Of course we can. Come along, Aliya," He swaggered through in typical Doctor-ish fashion.

They both paused slightly when alarm bells rang through the hallway, and undoubtedly the entire ship as well. The two aliens broke into a run, constantly turning their heads and checking every direction for Sontarans. Footsteps, voices and gun blasts came from behind them, although it seemed as though the blasts were coming from every imaginable direction. As they came to a junction with two paths coming off it, the problem of having to decide which one to take was replaced by the fact that both were flanked with Sontarans, guns ready. The same was said with the retreat escape, as they were covered there too.

Quickly, the Time Lords put up their hands in a surrender. Aliya could practically already hear the long ramble of complete nonsense that her counterpart was going to come up with to stretch out their capture so that they could escape. She knew, from slight experience and many tales from Romana, that although they often worked, sometimes there were better plans to be offered. She did her best to be subtle as her eyes skimmed over the floor, ceiling and walls around the two of them. Right over their heads - and she couldn't believe their luck - was the opening of a ventilation shaft. Her arm whipped up faster than the Sontarans could blink, sonic already pulsing. It swung open and she had already jumped up to grab the edge of the opening and hoist herself up. Luckily, because of the Sontarans' height, the ceilings weren't particularly high, and a quick boost from the Doctor didn't hinder her either. When she had fully pulled myself into the upper cavity she reached her arm down to the Doctor.

"Brilliant!" He shouted, jumping and grabbing her hand while preparing to jump. But the Sontarans were quick, and although they had been slightly caught off guard by Aliya's quick formation of a plan, by the time it was the Doctor's turn they had recovered and reacted. As he became airborne his legs were seized and pulled back down, forcing her to relinquish her hold on him.

"Escape will not be so simple. You are our prisoner, and don't think for one moment you can outsmart us," The Sontaran holding the Doctor told him smugly before addressing one of his other soldiers. "Take him to the Primary Flight Deck. And capture the female. Do not let her escape!" Aliya promptly closed the opening and locked it with the screwdriver before crawling along the shaft for a while and then stopping to sit down and think.

She was in a ventilation shaft that was only one metre high.

She only had her sonic screwdriver and the contents of her pocket, which included: her spare hand, a tiny torch, and a tiny scarf. None of which would help her at the present moment.

The Doctor had been captured by Sontarans and was being taken to the Primary Flight Deck. Although he was alive, there would be no presuming he would stay that way.

One thing was for sure:

She was going to need a _really_ good plan.


	9. Sontarans on Strepto: The Sick Sun

The Doctor, while not being totally pleased about his capture, had also been in so many capture situations that it was starting to feel almost routine. On the other hand, Aliya had escaped into the Ventilation shaft system, so there was hope of a rescue. Of course, he would much prefer if she returned to the safety of the TARDIS, but had known Aliya for centuries and knew that she would be determined to rescue him.

As the Sontarans led him to the Primary Flight Deck, the Doctor thought about the words he had been planning to speak to his companion before the alarms went off. _I think we're missing something. _The nagging feeling returned to his head the moment he thought about it. None of it made sense. The Sontarans weren't the type of species to hide out, which is what they appeared to be doing. They were wanted for numerous crimes throughout the universe, but seemed to be lying low on a planet that Judoon couldn't land on without dying. There had to be something else, something more than just a hideout...

He wished Aliya were with him, namely because her brain combined with his would be incredibly helpful. Donna had been brilliant for bouncing ideas off, but Aliya had even more potential, being the same species as him.

"So...The Primary Flight Deck, huh?" The Doctor said casually to the Sontarans. "Got any comfy chairs? I do like it when they have comfy chairs."

"Comfort is irrelevant." One of them replied touchily.

"Well you would say that, wouldn't you? I mean look at you, you're just soldiers who know only war and strategies! Ever heard of a thing called a 'day off', or relaxation?" He pointed out.

"They are non-productive. Sontarans are not as idiotic as to waste time on leisure."

"Fine then, be boring. Your loss," He muttered. They had reached a door by this point and one of the Sontarans opened the door, and the group continued on into the Primary Flight Deck.

"We have brought the male," The leading Sontaran said to the General at the front of the flight deck. He turned around to scrutinise the Doctor with his beady eyes, though the Time Lord didn't flinch or blink.

"What are you doing on our ship?" The General asked him.

"Me? Just...having a look," The Doctor answered.

"You lie," He said. "I can see it on your face."

"Alright," The Doctor admitted in a slightly dramatic manner, "I was sent by the Shadow Proclamation, because –as I'm sure you very well know- you're wanted for multiple crimes all across the universe. Usually they wouldn't get me involved, but you released that mineral into the atmosphere which stops the Judoon landing here, which I'm sure you know perfectly well." He stopped quickly for breath, taking in the almost completely blank mask of the General that showed only the tiniest ounce of surprise. "Of course, that's not the only thing that's going on here. There's something else, something I haven't figured out yet, but I will; for the same reason the Shadow Proclamation sent me here, because I'm the only one that can stop you, because I always do. Because I'm...The Doctor." He finished imposingly.

All in all, he had thought it to be quite an impressive ramble. The Sontarans didn't seem to agree, for the moment they heard that he was the Doctor they trapped him in a chair with metal straps that restricted his arm movement to almost nothing, with the General boasting in the background about how he was going to be the one to bring the Doctor's death, but not before he found his companion so they could die together after watching their plan unfold.

"Oh, and about my friend. You see, I'd say good luck with finding her, because you're going to need it," the Doctor started again, "Because when that woman doesn't want to be found, she often isn't. Of course, I _would_ say good luck, but I'm not an idiot. I may be many things and do many less than clever things, but even I know that that's just asking for it," He leant back against the chair with satisfaction, content with what he said and now content with just waiting.

"Every inch of the ship with be checked until she is found, and then we shall kill you both, for the good of Sontar!" The General said haughtily. "Sontar, ha! Sontar ha..." He had started the chanting among his men and the Doctor rolled his eyes, bringing his head down between his knees so that his fingers could reach his ears, blocking out the ridiculously annoying chanting of the Sontarans.

* * *

After returning everything but the sonic back to her pockets, Aliya leant against the wall of the shaft and sank into deep thought. Something was going on that she and the Doctor hadn't picked up on, and she was sure he was also aware of it, and –like her- at this moment was probably trying to figure out what it was they were missing. Although they would have got it a lot faster bouncing ideas off each other, they were going to have to work it out on their own.

Problem was, Aliya had no idea where to start. That was why she needed the Doctor, as he had much more experience with these sorts of things.

Before she could go any further, a breeze ran through the shaft. Without any better ideas, she decided to follow it back to its source. After a couple of minutes of crawling she came across a hatch in the ceiling, that once opened led her to the top of the ship. Cold, damp wind met her face as she climbed from the hole, and blew her hair around her face in a way that made it quite a nuisance. The metal of the ship's strangely generalised exterior – compared to most Sontaran spacecrafts - was extremely cold against her bare feet, and she shifted her footing with uncertainty. The wind struck her again, chilling her exposed face and neck.

It was peculiar, because the strange temperatures she was sensing from the environment was telling her that had the wind not been there, it should have been _warm_. As centuries ago she had studied many planets and cultures at the Academy, she knew that Strepto was not a warm place, therefore the strange warmth aroused suspicion in her gut.

Instinctively, Aliya raised her head to the sky to look at the sun which hadn't been visible through the dense foliage of the jungle. She couldn't hold back the shiver that ran down her spine as she shielded her eyes from the unnaturally bright glare coming off the bright orange sun. She held up her sonic up to the sky, scanning the orbiting star that just seemed so_wrong._ The readings astounded her.

"But how could that be right?" The blonde woman wondered quietly to herself. It seemed as though it had been enhanced by something, as there was a completely foreign element inside the sun. Something had been added to it, and messing with natural substance on such a huge scale was incredibly dangerous. The readings told her that it was Pure Hydrogen Peroxide, which left the Time Lady wondering how the sun hadn't exploded, since that was one of the most flammable substances in the Universe, not even including the huge amounts of hydrogen and oxygen in the sun that it would be able to ignite, and should have already.

Aliya used the sonic to scan as much of the ship as it could, and almost instantly picked up a particle transmitter that was on top of the other side of the ship. After further examination, she discovered that the transmitter was what was injecting the sun with Hydrogen Peroxide, which could be quickly stopped with the screwdriver, but there was still the lingering problem that there was already enough in there to cause an explosion that should only occur in suns three times the size.

She climbed back down into the ventilation shaft, mind working at top speed to absorb all the new information and figure out what it meant.

Either the Sontarans wanted the planet to overheat – possibly to dry up the marsh, though why? - or they wanted the sun to explode.

"And because of the added chemicals, it won't just explode; it will turn into a supernova. A supernova so powerful there's no question it will turn into colossal black hole, one that will suck in the whole planet, and maybe others," Aliya finished for herself aloud, sucking in a needed breath when she realised how much was at stake. But she needed the Doctor, and somehow had to rescue him from a room full of Sontarans. _Brilliant, _she thought to herself sarcastically, _just bloody brilliant._

Aliya crawled along the shaft with the sonic between her teeth, using her memory for the general direction of the Primary Flight Deck. Once she got close enough, the boastful voices of a Sontaran - who almost definitely had a high rank, if his attitude were anything to go by - led her to where she wanted to be. Looking through the grate hatch of the shaft down into the room, she found herself to be right overhead of where the Doctor was imprisoned in a chair.

Digging around in her pocket for something to throw at him, Aliya pulled out a pebble which she then dropped through one of the holes in the grate so that it hit him on the crown of his head. He remained silent but inclined his head to spot her, meeting her eyes with only mild surprise. Even though she now had his attention, the next part was going to be harder.

Aliya realised that she needed to be able to communicate with him without speaking, and began to use a sign language that had been part of the mandatory basic languages course back in the Academy. She kept it simple, with the two phrases 'I'm going to get you out' and 'catch'. Then, she dropped her sonic screwdriver with as much aim as she could manage through the hatch and watched it fall into his right hand. While he spun it in his fingers to undo his straps, Aliya silently opened the hatch so he could climb up. He was now free from the chair and had placed the sonic in his pocket so he had both hands ready, and jumped.

It only took a few seconds for the Sontarans to notice his departure and start getting testy about it, but the Time Lords were too busy crawling down the shaft to care, the Doctor leading the way this time. When they were far enough away, they stopped.

"I'm exactly sure what they're planning but it's something bad. Something so bad that by the time the Shadow Proclamation has cleaned it up, they'll be galaxies away," The Doctor told Aliya, and was mildly surprised when she nodded in agreement.

"It's a black hole. They're creating a black hole," She said quickly.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow disbelievingly. "What do you mean, a black hole? You can't create a black hole. Well, the Time Lords did, but no one else can!"

"No, but a supernova does it naturally," She said.

"Supernova?" He repeated worriedly, running his fingers through his hair. "Do they have a specific one in mind?"

"They're using a particle transmitter to inject this planet's sun with Pure Hydrogen Peroxide. The excess energy coming off it probably created whatever mineral it was that stopped the Judoon being able to land here. The sonic should be able to disable the transmitter, but there's already a lethal amount of it inside the sun. It should already have ignited itself," Aliya said, and the Doctor felt a wave of pride hit him, having found all of it out on her own. It made a difference from the last time they had travelled together – and that had ended somewhat badly – when she had been reserved and stayed quite close to his side.

"And when it does it will turn into a supernova so big that it was create a black hole big enough to swallow this whole planet," He concluded, and she nodded. "They're probably holding the sun back to make for a bigger black hole."

"I thought that too."

"Now we've just got to stop it. From the sounds of it, there is no way of neutralising it..."

"There isn't."

"So the only other way would be to retract the particles back out using the transmitter," He considered. Aliya brightened at the idea only to shake her head and frown a few moments later.

"Except the readings said that it was released gradually in small amounts, which means a concentrated dose that large would be lethal, and harmful at the very least. The transmitter would probably just explode. It's impossible," She sighed and dejectedly brushed a curl of golden hair out of her face.

"No it's not. It's almost, but not quite, impossible, which is what I do best. Come along, Aliya," The Doctor grinned mischievously at her and started off again down the tunnel. She abruptly followed.

"I'm guessing you still have the transmat?" She called along the tunnel.

"Of course I do. Do I look that stupid?" He replied, and immediately could sense the sceptical look she was aiming at the back of his head. "Actually...don't answer that." A slight snort of amusement emitted from behind him before they again lapsed into silence. He paused in front of one of the openings in the floor, and after telling Aliya to wait for him to come back up, the Doctor lowered himself into the deserted corridor and activated the transmat on the delay setting, placing it on a wall before returning to the shaft. "I've put it on delay. We've got six minutes," He told Aliya.

"To do what?"

"Retract the particles into the transmitter without it breaking and then releasing them into the ship to spread throughout the whole thing, becoming too thinly spread to be fatal." The Doctor said as they climbed out of a hole and came out next to the transmitter.

"It would still be harmful, though," Aliya pointed out.

"Only to us. If we can get out of there in time, it will filter through the Sontaran's probic vents and knock them all out for at least at hour. They'll arrive at the Shadow Proclamation safely unconscious." An awed grin crept onto Aliya's face.

"Oh, Doctor, you are _good_," She said happily, impressed. They exchanged a mutual look of success and went to work using their sonics to first disable and then reverse and concentrate the transmitter's function. When they were done they ran back down the hole and through the shaft until they came to the nearest exit and jumped down onto the floor before beginning the sprint of our lives, with only two minutes left until the ship filled with gas and an extra thirty seconds before it would be teleported to the Shadow Proclamation. Their hands wound together and probably have remained that way until they had reached safety, had a phone in the Doctor's jacket not started to ring.

"Is that a phone?" Aliya asked in disbelief, but not slowing in the slightest.

"No, it's my sonic screwdriver, of course it's a phone!" He retorted exasperatedly, and gave her a 'ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer' look when she threw him one of scepticism. Then he dug around in his pocket and pulled it out, pressing the answer button and holding it to his ear with his free hand.

"_Hello?" _The Doctor asked, trying to keep the annoyance out of his voice.

"_Doctor! How's the new face treating you?" _Came the all too familiar enthusiastic American voice on the other end.

"_Good..."_

"_So what are you doing?"_

"_Jack, this really isn't a good time. We're sort of...running for our lives here," _The Time Lord panted as they rounded yet another corner, trying to disperse the feeling that they were going in circles.

"_Oh, so the usual then," _said the amused reply.

"_Jack..."_

"_Okay, okay. Just pay me a visit at Torchwood sometime soon. I want to see your new look."_ He hung up.

"Doctor, over there!" Aliya had spotted the exit and was pulling him towards it.

They had only managed to get fifty metres away before the entire ship disappeared, leaving the two of them staring at the space it had once occupied.

"Next time we go on a life threatening adventure, can you turn your phone off?" Aliya asked her friend with a raised eyebrow.

He simply rolled his eyes and ignored her.

"So who was that on the phone, then?" Aliya asked the Doctor as they walked, waded and swung their way back to the TARDIS. "You said Jack. Did you mean Captain Jack?" The Doctor snapped back to attention, having been staring vacantly at the TARDIS which was coming into view.

"What? Um, yes. The one and only." He said with a strange smile as they entered it.

"What did he want?"

"We wanted us to pay him a visit so that he could see my new regeneration." He said, fiddling with the TARDIS controls.

"So are we going to? I'd love to meet him," Aliya asked excitedly.

"I bet you would, Aliyana." The Doctor commented dryly. She raised an eyebrow at his use of her –almost- full name.

"Aliyana? No one's called me that in centuries, or…pretty much ever, either go for Aliya, or Aliyanadevoralundar, but please not somewhere in the middle," She pleaded as she edged her way around the console to him. He straightened up and turned towards her, one hand resting on the TARDIS as he leant ever-so slightly on the console. She leaned in closer as he did the same, grinning with fond amusement.

"Aliyanadevoralundar," He said quietly, smiling in a way that meant she was forced to smile back, unable to look away from him in that moment, "Did I ever say just how glad I am to have you here with me, after everything?"

"Possibly," She replied, her voice just as quiet, "But feel free to say it just to be sure." His lips twitched and his left hand came up to touch her cheek softly, as if she were made of glass and were going to shatter at any moment.

"Part of me still doesn't believe you're real…that you can't actually be alive," He whispered, green eyes running over her for reassurance, and she put her hand over his to keep it at her cheek.

"I'm real, I'm alive, and I'm right here," She murmured, eyes locked with his, "And I'll be here as long as you want me." Their faces were only a few inches apart at that point, but neither of them seemed to realise.

The Doctor allowed himself to smile at her words, feeling comforted. "My guardian angel."

At that, it was as if a spell had been broken, and Aliya's face contorted into an unamused scowl, and she twisted and strode away from him, somewhat annoyed. "Not. Funny," She told him, crossing her arms to create another barrier between them, as if three metres weren't enough. "You know that's not why I chose that name, it's not my fault that the translations-"

"You can moan about translations all you want, but the fact is, Aliyanadevoralundar, that your name is the Angel, and you picked it!" He reminded, and she huffed irritably.

"Well, in Gallifreyan it means 'carer', 'protector', 'guardian', things like that! I didn't know that in English I was going to considered a bloody feathery, winged, celestial creature!" She defended, and the Doctor smirked at her.

"Technically, you still are a celestial creature, being from another planet and all-" He didn't press it when she pointedly glared at him, and he held up his hands defensively. "Alright, Aliyanadevoralundar is a bit touchy in this regeneration."

"Please stop calling me that," She asked, less agitated by that point, "You sound like my father." That was enough to make the Doctor's face drop, as he hadn't cared for her father in the slightest, though the feeling had been mutual. "Besides, I thought we established the first time we met that that name was far too long for a sensible person."

"Of course we did. It's just fun to say," With a smirk, he turned back to the monitor, and both found themselves remembering their first meeting, the meeting that had started a friendship that would span centuries…

* * *

_The blonde girl entered the huge library of the Academy. She travelled over to the old fashioned book shelves, tracing her fingers over the spines of the many books at her disposal. She was at it for several minutes before a voice from behind her made her jump. _

"_If you're stuck, I can give you some recommendations."_

_Aliyanadevoralundar turned to see a boy who physically matched her age - though that told her nothing about his true age. His dark green eyes were watching her with friendly curiosity from underneath his slightly shaggy dark hair._

_"Oh, uh, I think I'm probably okay, I'm just having a look, I'm sure I'll find something," She said, somewhat shyly. _

_"Are you sure?" She nodded, and he smiled. _

_"I'm Theta Sigma, by the way." _

_She frowned. "That's an odd name."_

_"Well, it's a nickname - variation on my proper one. But I like it much better."_

_"Oh." _

_"So, w__hat's your name?"_

"_Aliyanadevoralundar," She said, with a hint of pride. Long names were almost always a sign of status, so it was a name to be proud of. Though, for all she knew, his name was in fact too. _

"_Blimey. That's a mouthful. Do you mind if I called you something more manageable?" He suggested. _

_The girl frowned in confusion. _"_But why?" She asked, not familiar with the concept of nicknames, other than the one her mother had used for her in her childhood. _

"_Because it's easier, that's all. Not to mention it saves time and energy," He explained, shrugging. _

"_Okay then."_

"_Good," He said with a smile. "I was thinking...Aliya."_

_"Aliya?" The girl repeated it, testing it on her tongue. "Aliya. Okay." Theta Sigma grinned at her. _

_"You look worried."_

"_My parents said that it was wasn't proper to change one's name, that I should be proud of the name I have."_

"_What House are you from?" Theta asked, amused._

"_House Arpexia," She replied glumly._

"_No surprise there," He said, rolling his eyes, "But how old are you? I don't think I've seen you around this part of the school before, which means you must be quite new."_

"_17," She said, "I know, I'm a baby."_

"_Just a little bit," He didn't try to hide his smirk, but it was not unkind._

"_What about you?" She seemed wary of the answer, and with good reason._

"_216," He admitted, and she frowned._

"_Shouldn't you be out of here by now?" She said._

"_I'm on my second try," Theta winked at Aliya, showing her that he didn't mind it one bit. "So is Koschei, sort of." He saw the questioning look on her face and led her over to a table where a blonde boy had his back to them. Theta hit him over the head lightly with a book he was carrying before swinging around the table to sit opposite him, gesturing for Aliya to do the same. The blonde boy's eyes flicked up long enough for him to glare at Theta before returning to the pages of his book as one of his hands tapped repeatedly on the table in a continuous drumming rhythm._

"_Making friends?" The blonde Koschei asked, not sounding remotely surprised. When his friend answered in the affirmative, he just sighed. "Must you?"_

_"Be friendly for once," Theta suggested, "This is Aliya. She's a new junior." _

_"Hello. Koschei, was it?" Aliya smiled at Koschei, who looked at her long enough to nod politely before going back to his book. Theta just ignored him, as it apparently was very regular behavior for him. _

_"He'll come around eventually, he just doesn't like bothering with strangers," The brunette boy explained to his new acquaintance. Soon, however, the three of them were conversing normally, and within a few weeks were joking like the best of friends, which in the end they were. _

* * *

Upon her thoughts returning to the present, Aliya remembered what they had been talking about before her name came into the conversation. "Stop avoiding my question, Doctor. Are we going to see Jack or not?"

"Of course we are. Just not straight away," He said, entering co-ordinates for lord knew where.

"In that case, you better have something good up your sleeve," She told him, and he grinned.

"When do I have anything but?" He asked her, rotating the atom accelerator and pulling down the engine release lever with an over-exaggerated flourish.

"Well," Aliya said when the TARDIS began to shake during takeoff, "I suppose I can give you benefit of the doubt."

* * *

**Academy nickname reference:**

**Theta Sigma = The Doctor**

**Koschei = The Master**

**Ushas = The Rani (bonus for later)**


	10. Death Of The Doctor: Condolences

**The next two chapters cover an AU (albeit one that doesn't ACTUALLY defy canon, but you know, who are we kidding?) of the SJA episode, Death of the Doctor. Spoilers, obviously. Should make sense if you haven't watched it, but it is told from a limited point of view so you'll miss some of the finer points of the storyline. **

* * *

Aliya couldn't help but let out a small giggle at the bubbles floating all around her. It had been about 300 hundred years since she had had a bath (though, the mountain had to be taken into account, the statement wasn't _nearly _as unhygienic as it sounded), and it was rather enjoyable. Especially in the TARDIS bath, that was so ridiculously huge that she had seen smaller public swimming pools, not that she had seen many of those either.

The shape of a semi-circle, the bath curved around the one point of entry into the room. There were so many different types of bubble bath available that she was surrounded by an entire bubble spectrum of rainbow bubbles, having used every bubble bath there was. Her feet could only just touch the bottom of the bath while leaving her shoulders half out of the water. She submerged herself under the water, opening her eyes and watching the strange effects soap had on it.

The blonde pushed up from the bottom and broke through the surface, and let out a shriek before quickly half ducking under the water again when she noticed the Doctor standing in the doorway. Slowly she rose up, wary, so that everything from her shoulders down was covered by bubbles, and moved forward to hide her body behind the wall of the bath before she started talking to him.

"Doctor, do you mind?" Aliya asked him with indignation and perhaps a little more force than needed. It was hardly appropriate, considering his apparent future with River Song. At least her regeneration energy was gone and no longer there to potentially cause problems.

"What?" The Doctor said in confusion, then gave the room another look-over, his eyes eventually resting on his old best friend again, now as wide as teacups. "Oh, oh...I am _so _sorry, I didn't know that you were..." He trailed off, as the word that would complete the sentence would have only made the situation more concretely awkward, and they both knew it.

She stared at him, unsure for a few moments whether he was serious, before deciding that, of course, he was.

"Doctor...this is the bath room. As in, the room where you literally cannot do anything but take a bath. How did your mind figure that I _wouldn't_ be..." Again, that awkward word stopped her so she just left it, and he blinked, frowning at her words, both spoken and unspoken.

"You know, I never thought about it like that," He said, and she rolled her eyes.

"Of course you didn't," Aliya replied flatly, "But either tell me what was so important that you had to find me now, or leave."

"Oh, that. I just wanted to know if you were interesting in coming to investigate something with me." He suggested, still looking a little embarrassed, but he hid it almost professionally.

"Doctor," She began, "You've taken me gallivanting all around the universe over this last week. Can't I even get an hour to relax?"

"Of course you can!" He protested, as if he was horrified at the thought of not letting her do what she wanted. "I just thought you might be interested in it." He knew her far too well, and she hated and loved him for it. He knew that as pompous and indifferent as she could try to be...the new regeneration ached for adventure and spectacular sights. She was born out of freedom, the ultimate kind, hence why her new regeneration was the way it was...she wanted to live, run, laugh, do, and see everything she possibly could.

And, naturally...that would suit the Doctor just fine.

"Fine, just let me get ready." She conceded, pretending to be slightly annoyed but really not minding at all.

"I'll go and wait in the console room." He decided, and made to leave.

"Great, I'll see you there," Aliya smiled, "Can you pass me a towel?" He threw one at her and she grinned in gratitude before he left. Swiftly, she went to the full body dryer, then the wardrobe (where she picked out an outfit based around her new favourite thing in the entire universe, which was denim jeans), then entered the console room, and found the Doctor looking at the scanner readings over by the communications panel.

"So what exactly are we looking at?" She asked him as she came down from the main corridor.

"Battlefield, a big, mighty battlefield just waiting for us to explore it." He said grandly while she rolled her eyes.

"You got me out of the bath to explore a battlefield?" She groaned.

"Yes...sorry." He said apologetically, but didn't take the ever present smile off his face, which showed that he really wasn't sorry at all.

"It's probably a good thing. I might have stayed in that bath forever if you hadn't made me leave," The Time Lady joked, sitting down on the stairs in front of the fabrication panel of the console while he continued checking out the readings. Eventually he came down to sit next to her on the steps.

"Aliya, you trust me, don't you?" He said, not quite looking her in the eye.

"Of course I do," She replied, suspicious of the Doctor's expression. It was one that she had seen before - never mind the fact he had had a different face at the time- and meant he was about to do something that she was not going to like and he was afraid of her getting mad at him. It was making her nervous.

"Good," He paused and ran his fingers through his hair nervously. "And I am sorry, in advance."

"For what?" Aliya asked warily, knowing the moment where he did something against her will was coming, and hoping that she would be able to stop it. Of course, no matter how closely she watched him, his hand was too fast and the metallic clink sounded before she even saw the handcuffs that now bound her right wrist to the stairs rail. She pulled uselessly against it, trying to grab the Doctor who had already stepped out of her reach.

"Doctor," She growled while fighting against her bonds, regardless of the pain that shot through her wrist each time she pulled, "What in the name of Rassilon are you doing?"

"The reason that I came here in the first place was because I got some strange readings, all the way from here in the TARDIS. Now that we've arrived, they've only gotten more interesting," He said, shrugging.

"You haven't answered my question." She tried not to get angry until she knew why he had done it, even though she got the feeling that she wasn't going to like his reasoning.

"It's too convenient, and there are some readings of residual matter transportation energy." He said, his eyes serious.

"So someone has prepared a teleport to appear somewhere near here." She concluded. "More to the point, where is here, anyway?"

"The Wasteland of the Crimson Heart."

"We're on the Crimson Heart?"

"Of course we are, I just said so, pay attention..." He replied, rolling his eyes at her. "But if someone has placed strange readings on this planet to lure me in, and someone is waiting to teleport here, then it's obviously a trap. In which case I need you here."

"Why?"

"Because if something goes wrong then you may have to stop them." He explained. Although his actions were now slightly more justified, there was one crucial point that Aliya thought he seemed to be missing.

"You know, when most people realise they're headed for a trap, most people _don't walk straight into it anyway_," She said to him, wondering if he really was as idiotic in this regeneration as the bowtie made him look.

"Yes, but then we would never find out who tried to get me there in the first place, and they'll go on causing what can only be trouble unless we find a way to stop them." He said, making his way over to the door.

"There are still for more logical ways to deal with this." She was still straining against the handcuffs. "And what happens if you don't come back? Contrarily to what you might think, I don't want to be stuck here for the rest of my life. Not handcuffed to a rail at the very least."

"Don't worry, if I'm not back in 72 hours they'll automatically open. And that reminds me." He pointed his sonic at the hand cuffs and the chain holding the two main parts released extra chain from inside, giving her about a metre's room to move around, but not enough to reach the console - where her screwdriver was sitting - or the doors.

"You're just going to leave me here, and if you die I'll be stuck here for 3 days before I can escape?" She cried with disbelief.

"Basically," He smiled. "Bye bye, Aliya. See you soon."

"Unless you want a repeat of my third incarnation's bitchiness, you get back over here and let me go right now!" Aliya yelled at him, but he ignored her, threw his screwdriver through the air towards the console where it hit the scanner button - turning it on, shot her a wink and waltzed out the doors.

Aliyanadevoralundar had never wanted to resort to violence against him more in her entire life...including the time she slapped his sixth body. Though, in her defence, he had been disrespecting her for the entire hour prior to the aforementioned slap, while she had been in the middle of trying to defend him, in court, against a Time Lord council and a prosecutor which turned out to be an evil future incarnation of himself, who then tried to kill the past Doctor. So, naturally, the Doctor's snide and arrogant comments had gotten her a little mad at the time.

And, if she was being completely honest with she, she had been rather annoyed that the celery-wearing Doctor that she had been so attached to had been replaced by a self-absorbed, arrogant, brash, heavily opinionated and unnecessarily loud clown - or, one would think he was a clown by the way he dressed, anyway. The cat pin on his rainbow coat lapel hadn't helped her feelings of resentment much at the time due to how utterly stupid it had looked.

She snapped back to present day, forgetting her feelings of violence and the memory of the Time Lord court.

On the scanner, she saw the Doctor striding around the Wasteland, examining everything and constantly looking around the red desert. The planet's atmosphere gave the entire scene a strange tint of red. Suddenly, three teleports activated and three Shansheeth – vulture-like creatures who arranged intergalactic funerals, if her memory from her school days was correct - appeared. One of them shot the Doctor with a gun that incapacitated him, before the vulture returned to help the others, who had started walking around the TARDIS and disappeared from her view. Next thing she knew, the monitor's image was blocked out by a flash of bright blue light, and when it faded she was no longer looking at the Crimson Heart, but the inside of a strange room where the Shansheeth were walking around. She managed to reach and hit the sound button and suddenly could hear them cackling about their success and how the first stage of their plan was complete.

Aliya realised that the TARDIS had been teleported off the planet, leaving the Doctor stranded, and let loose a curse word which would have turned the Academy Library completely silent in shock. However, she was alone and the satisfaction was considerably less than usual.

Suddenly, a pretty woman with long dark hair entered the room, and looked at the TARDIS admiringly.

"So that's it then. The famous TARDIS," She remarked before addressing the Shansheeth, "Good work. I'll take care of the next part. You get that thing out of sight." She turned and left the room. The Shansheeth pulled a black curtain in front of the TARDIS, shielding it from their view and –unknowingly- them from the sole occupant inside.

* * *

Aliya waited for hours for something else to happen, spending the whole time worrying about the Doctor stuck on the Crimson Heart. She just had to hope that he could come up with something, since there was a whole lot of junk in the area where he was stranded, and if there was one thing she knew the Doctor could do, it was improvise. She often wondered if he ever did anything else. Finally, after a wait of almost twelve hours, voices entered the room once again. One was familiar and Aliya realised that it belonged to the pretty woman who was working with the Shansheeth, but the other's was new.

"The results are back and it is confirmed. The Doctor is dead." Said the first voice. The Gallifreyan woman's stomach dropped and her mind became a railway station of hysterical thoughts.

_Who killed him?_

_Why didn't he regenerate?_

_Why did they kill him?_

Finally her mind got a hold over itself and she realised that this woman could not be trusted and had to be lying. If the Doctor had died, she would have felt it, there was no doubt.

"Those are words I prayed I would never hear, but ones that are hard to avoid. I shall inform the friends of the Doctor of the funeral, which will be based here, as UNIT is taking charge," Said the second voice. UNIT. This told Aliya that she was on Earth, which was something, at least. She lay down on the steps, resting her head on the familiar floor and stared at the screen which she could only just see, waiting for the moment when the Doctor returned.

_If he ever does. _Said a small voice in her head.

_Shut up. He's never let me down before. _She told it irritably.

_Yes he has. More often than not, actually, _the voice retorted.

She bristled. _Well...he won't this time! _

* * *

More time passed, and she felt sure that it had been about one and a half days since the Doctor had been left behind on the Crimson Heart. It was not sitting there with nothing to passed the time that worried her. It was the fact that the more time that passed, the less of a chance that he would come back.

Sound finally came from outside the TARDIS. It was the quiet chatter of many people, and when Aliya sat up to look at the scanner properly she saw that the curtains were now parted out of the way, and she could see into the room once again. However, there seemed to be gas in the way, and the fact that no one was looking at the TARDIS told her that they couldn't see through it and didn't know it was there. However she could see clearly enough that the Shansheeth and the small amount of people coming to mourn the Doctor, and noticed for the first time the coffin that lay not too far in front of the TARDIS, and felt sick to her stomach. After about half an hour of soothing harp music and the Shansheeth saying they were sorry for the loss, even though they were the ones who had taken the Doctor from these people anyway, Aliya was starting to lose hope of anyone turning up who might be able to help.

Until the UNIT woman who was in league with the Shansheeth brought in a woman and two teenagers. Aliya stared at the woman, who seemed incredibly familiar.

"Who are all these people?" The boy asked the UNIT woman.

"Old soldiers, mostly. It's hard to find friends of the Doctor, he would come and go without a trace." She replied sadly, even though Aliya knew it was an act.

_How dare you even talk about him, you traitorous bitch?! _

"Think off all the lives he touched, the whole planet should be in mourning, but no one knows," said the girl, who looked like she was of Indian descent but Aliya couldn't be sure. She decided immediately that she liked her, however. The whole planet _should _have been in mourning. And even the ones that were didn't realise just what he had done for them. He had broken so many rules to save other planets, the Earth in particular.

"Can I see him?" The woman who Aliya somehow knew said, coming closer to the coffin. The Time Lady did know her, just from a long time ago. She still couldn't put her finger on it...

"I don't think you'd want to." Said the UNIT woman, walking forward to stand by her. The other woman smiled, and turned around slightly to face her.

"That sounds to me like you're hiding something." She said assertively, looking pleased to have found something even slightly wrong with the whole ordeal.

_Oh, I like you, even if I can't remember your name yet. _Aliya thought, almost wishing that the other woman could hear her.

"Sarah Jane, he...he was hurt," The UNIT woman told her slowly. Even though Aliya had decided to tune out and ignore anything she said about the Doctor, the words still made her blood run cold. If she had hurt him...

The woman called Sarah Jane seemed to be similarly affected by the words, and her face instantly dropped into sorrow, as though she was starting to believe the lies.

Aliya watched in horror, resisting the urge to shout at her to not believe a word, pulling harder than ever on her handcuffs, trying to break free so she could run to her and hold her tight, telling her that it was all lies and that the Doctor wasn't dead. But she was stuck.

"Hey," said the girl, taking Sarah Jane's hand comfortingly. "Hey, come on, let's go sit down." She suggested softly. The three of them sat down together, with Sarah Jane in the middle of the two teenagers.

"I don't even know what he looks like." Sarah Jane whispered, and Aliya was glad for the incredibly good sound readings the TARDIS could pick up. "I'm sorry, but I think he regenerated, because the last time I saw him, he didn't say a word, he just looked at me...that body could have a different face, and I wouldn't even know it was him."

Suddenly, Aliya knew exactly where she knew Sarah Jane from. Because when one put Sarah Jane and regeneration in the same place in her memory, the result was the time of Aliya's second regeneration. She remembered now, Sarah Jane had been much younger then, only in her twenties, though she was still as beautiful as she was in Aliya's memories. Aliya had barely talked to her, and the time she did, she had insulted her humanity. Sarah Jane had been there while Aliya had regenerated, having been brought along by the Doctor, who had illegally arrived on Gallifrey, taking an awful risk bringing Sarah Jane with him, just to comfort Aliya on that awful day.

To be more specific, the worst day of her life, not including the day when she had found out that their entire planet was gone.

Even if Aliya got the chance to talk to her, she wouldn't recognise her, and wouldn't want to. She had seen her when she was dying at her own hand, and then in her third incarnation, who had just been horrible to everybody, even the Doctor. She was hardly going to be kind to a young human companion. But as a result, the thought of talking to Sarah Jane again considering how she had acted the last time…it filled Aliya with a deep shame.

Meanwhile, the Shansheeth were going on about their harp, while Sarah Jane politely said to the two teenagers with her that she needed to gather her thoughts on her own. They nodded and moved to sit over at the other side of the room. The Shansheeth told them to remember, and Sarah Jane and the teenagers shut their eyes, clearly remembering the Doctor. Aliya could tell by the expressions on the teenagers' faces that they had indeed met the Doctor in person. She saw the boy open his eyes briefly and look at his hand with a strange expression on his face. Sarah Jane had begun to smile as she remembered, but then an older woman and a fair haired teenage boy who was probably a relative entered, and the vase she was carrying dropped to the ground with a large smashing sound that broke the three new arrivals out of their memories.

"Oh, I'm sorry, just ignore me, I brought flowers, which is silly, I mean there's no need, is there? Well, you know I saw these lilies and I thought they were appropriate, oh, and the vase was so beautiful, it was hand-blown by Asian argentines, well, I don't suppose it was actually hand-blown, the glass would get really really hot..." She babbled in an endearing way before the nearest Shansheeth interrupted her.

"I'm so sorry for your loss." He said in a monotone. She looked positively delighted at the sight of him.

"Oh, thank you! Oh, aren't you lovely?" She beamed, just brimming with enthusiasm.

"I'm so sorry for your loss." Another Shansheeth said to her.

"I know, it's terrible, isn't it? Oh, you are so gorgeous! Oh, I wish I had my glasses. You look like a vulture, a great big alien vulture, oh, aren't they wonderful?" She said to the boy, pulling him in closer while Sarah Jane had turned to look at her with interest. "No, no, no, don't be afraid, it's just like I taught you." Sarah Jane stood up hesitantly, not taking her eyes off the new arrival. "Oh, you know, I've missed all this." The woman said. "Hey listen, can you do something with these, there's a good boy." She said to the boy again. "Thanks." She looked all around the room. "I'm sorry! I'm making an awful lot of noise, aren't I?" She continued to ramble on about a tribe who sung all night at funerals, and Sarah Jane started laughing happily, and the other woman looked at her in surprise. "I'm sorry, do I know you?" She asked, unsure but not unfriendly.

"Oh, well, we never actually met, but its Jo Grant, isn't it?" Sarah Jane said as she sat down again. The name of the newer woman clicked in Aliya's mind, and she realised that the Doctor had told her about Jo a long time ago, that she used to travel with him. Aliya guessed that she too had been much younger at the time, just as Sarah Jane had been. The Doctor always did seem to be around the young when it came to humans.

"Wow! It's been a long time since I've been called that, actually, it's Jo Jones since I got married." Jo replied, leaning in and smiling.

"I arrived just after you left," Sarah Jane explained, "You'd gone to live on the Amazon."

"Oh, they told me about you!" Jo said excitedly. "You must be..."

"Sarah Jane Smith." Both of them said at the same time.

"Oh, darling!" Jo exclaimed.

"After all this time!" Sarah Jane said. Jo came over to her and gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek, both of the women comforted by the others presence. Aliya found herself wishing for a hug of her own, but knew that the only person she really wanted it from was still stuck on the Crimson Heart. She refused to consider his alternative fate.

"And look at you, you're so beautiful!" Jo told her happily. They both smiled at each other. On the other side of the room, her relative had started talking to the other two teenagers, who finally revealed that they were called Rani and Clyde, while the grandson's name was Santiago.

Sarah Jane and Jo were still chatting, with Sarah Jane telling Jo about how the soldiers used to tell stories about her. Jo revealed she was still married, and that she had seven children and twelve grandchildren with number thirteen on the way, which led to Sarah Jane telling Jo about her son, Luke, who had just started university. Sarah Jane then revealed to Jo that she had met the Doctor three times after she had left the TARDIS. Jo smiled a little sadly and admitted that she had never seen him again.

"You know, it's funny. But I had this notion, that if the Doctor died, even if he was as far away as Metabilus III, that I would feel it somehow. You know, in my heart." Jo said sadly.

_Just like I know I would. _Aliya thought. _Jo, it's not funny at all._

"That's exactly what I thought. But I didn't feel a thing." Sarah Jane said.

"Nor did I," Jo replied. "Not a peep."

_Neither did I! Come on girls, work it out!_

"Do you think... the same as me?"

"What? Because I think..." Jo started.

"He's still alive!" They chorused excitedly, unnoticed by anyone except Aliya, who breathed a sigh of relief.

The two ex-companions hugged excitedly before leaving with the three children. Aliya hoped that they would figure something out, because for all they knew, the safety of everyone at UNIT, and of the Doctor, and possibly the whole world or universe, could depend on it.


	11. Death of the Doctor: Anger and Relief

Once everyone else apart from the Shansheeth had left, they began talking of their plans, something to do with a memory weave, and Sarah Jane and Jo's memories. They were feeding off the memories for some reason, and Aliya didn't like it at all, especially when it was revealed that it would kill both women. But then there was a flash of blue light coming from the inside of the ventilation shaft, and the Shansheeth took after someone who was inside, only to pull back and plan to go after them from another direction, leaving the room empty. Aliya sat alone; worrying about all the humans trapped inside the continuous game of the extra-terrestrials, and hoped that they would be alright. It was not for another ten minutes that the Shansheeth entered the room again, apparently unsuccessful in tracking down whoever it was they were chasing, and for that Aliya was grateful.

"Dispense with the coffin," The red one said and the others moved it out of the way. "Make room for the coalescence, the memory weave is ready. Soon it will be active, and not even the Doctor will be able to stop the Crusade of the Shansheeth!"

She realised what it was that was going on. They were going to use the memory weave to construct a way to get into the TARDIS. Why, that was yet to be revealed, but she was determined to give them a good fight once they got inside. But meanwhile, the UNIT woman had discovered Rani, Clyde and Santiago – or at least Aliya was presuming that was who she meant by the Brady Bunch, whatever that was - hiding in the vent system.

"_Internal Vents To Maximum," _said a computer generated voice, and the Time Lady shuddered at the thought of them boiling alive.

"They're just children! Leave them alone they're just children..." She moaned helplessly, never ceasing to pull against her restraints in hope they would break and she could kick the UNIT woman's arse. The maternal instinct to help was overwhelming in this regeneration, but she could do nothing.

"The children are irrelevant," One of the Shansheeth said to the woman in question.

"Not to the Doctor, they're not. Wherever he is, he'll be planning revenge, and we need to divert him," She replied coldly, a sinister smile on her face.

Aliya's hearts began to once again beat at their normal rate. The Doctor was alive. She let out a shaky laugh, so relieved to hear of his survival that for a moment she could think of nothing else. But then the Shansheeth left to deal with Jo and Sarah Jane, planning to grab them and place them in the memory weave to get into the TARDIS key.

"Just as I predicted. Given a choice between saving the world, and saving the children, the Doctor goes the wrong way," The woman smirked, and from this Aliya gathered he had made a way back to Earth from the scrap metal on the Wasteland. He never did cease to amaze her, although he apparently was now saving the children in the ventilation shaft instead of rescuing his friends that had probably at this point been taken by the Shansheeth. The Doctor had always been like that. Children come first, and in this regeneration, Aliya found herself agreeing with him.

The doors of the room opened and Jo and Sarah Jane were pushed in by the Shansheeth. They didn't look surprised to see the woman there at all.

"I didn't trust you Colonel, from the moment I met you," Sarah Jane spat at her.

"Oh, like I care," The Colonel drawled in a bored tone. Sarah Jane turned to face the screen Aliya was watching her on, and looked upon the TARDIS with an unfathomable expression, but it was not a good one. "Now then, the chamber is sealed off. The Doctor would need half a ton of dynamite to get through that." She walked over the control panel for the memory weave which had been placed in the spot the coffin had previously occupied.

"The TARDIS," breathed Jo, turning her eyes to face it, and the person watching from inside. "I never thought I would see it again."

"That's what this is all about," said the Colonel, "The TARDIS... and you. Place them in the memory weave!" The Shansheeth hurried to strap them against the two metal strips that held up the women's bodies while their foreheads were restrained with some strap which seemed to be essential to the memory weave.

"Go on then, tell us," Sarah Jane said once they were both strapped in. "What does the memory weave do?"

"I'm warning you sweetheart, the memory is going at my age," Jo added.

"You need only remember one thing," The Shansheeth said.

"And what's that?" Sarah Jane asked him.

"The TARDIS key," He replied.

_Good luck with that,_ Aliya snorted from inside the TARDIS. _The first person who comes in here is getting a slap. Shansheeth or Doctor. Especially the Doctor._

"The weave takes the memory out of your head, and makes it real," the Colonel said, adjusting Sarah Jane's head strap. "This device can build a physical key out of your thoughts."

"And then we will have access to the TARDIS." The head Shansheeth said. "The most miraculous machine in all creation will be ours."

_Over my dead body, it doesn't matter how many times you make me regenerate, any one of my bodies will still try to kick your butt with one hand tied behind my back, or in this case, handcuffed to a rail._

Sarah Jane seemed to be whispering to herself, and Aliya could tell she was very worried.

"No, you can't!" Jo cried. "Ow!"

"We have seen so much of death. The Shansheeth have presided over infinite funerals, we see the pain and the suffering again, and again. But with the TARDIS, we can stop this. We can intervene and prevent the loss of life on a universal scale."

"You're going to stop death?" By the sounds of it, Sarah Jane knew how dangerous it was and didn't like it. A clever human could understand the disastrous consequences. Even the most idiotic Time Lord would feel sick to the stomach at the very thought, and Aliya was no exception.

"It is a noble quest," He snapped. "To halt the endless, endless weeping."

"And change the whole of history!" Sarah Jane retorted. The Doctor had clearly taught her many things, as she understood and accepted that many things could never be changed, no matter how tragic. "That's why creatures like you can't have time machines, because you'll wreck the entire universe!"

The Colonel muttered something about Sarah Jane that made her change her attention.

"And what do you get out of all this, then?" She asked suspiciously, obviously wondering why a human would betray their own trace for such a dangerous cause, which was exactly how Aliya felt too. She couldn't understand it.

"A broader horizon, Miss Smith. The Shansheeth can take me to the stars, because there is nothing left for me here on Earth," She said darkly, "Not anymore."

_She's going to wreck the entire universe for her own selfish reasons. How so very human. _Aliya could not help herself thinking. _And even if you get into the TARDIS, how are you going to fly it? Only three people in the entire universe know how._

"Accelerate the weave!" She commanded, and Sarah Jane and Jo began to cry out in pain as the weave attacked their mind and scavenged their memories.

Suddenly someone pounded on the door from outside.

"Oh, they've sealed it off! Jo, Sarah? Can you hear me?" Yelled a voice from the other side of the door. It was a voice Aliya had been waiting hours to hear, and it filled her with relief and joy to hear it. She finally had proper proof he was alive.

"They want the key, and the TARDIS, and the memory weave!" Sarah Jane called out helplessly.

"Too late!" Said the Colonel triumphantly. "Full activation!"

"Concentrate. Think of the key." The Shansheeth said. Sarah Jane and Jo struggled harder than ever.

"I've got the original here! You can have it, if you let them go!" The Doctor's voice told them, desperate for a way to help his friends. The head Shansheeth seemed to consider his offer, but the Colonel stopped him.

"You let the Doctor inside this room, and he will destroy us!" She said viciously. "Keep going!" She pointed to Sarah Jane and Jo.

"Think of the TARDIS." The Shansheeth said. Sarah and Jo had pained expressions, trying to avoid the memory that the Shansheeth wanted so badly. "The Key, remember the key."

"Try to think of something else!" Jo told Sarah desperately.

"I can't!" She replied in a panicked tone, shaking slightly.

"Neither can I!" Jo admitted. The banging on the door continued, and Aliya heard Clyde complaining about the door not opening.

"The memories coalesce!" Golden energy flowed out of both of the headset towards the centre of the room. "The key, it takes shape!" Said the Shansheeth as the golden energy combined and began to form a key in the middle. Sarah Jane and Jo cried out in protest.

"Sarah, Jo, can you hear me?" Said the Doctor's voice over the com system.

"The Key! It's almost ready." Sarah Jane told him.

"Listen, both of you. I want you to remember." He told them.

"We are! That's the trouble." Jo said back.

"No, no, no, no, no. I want you to remember everything, every single day with me." He instructed, and his plan –his brilliant plan- clicked into place in Aliya's head. "Every single second."

"What is he doing?" The Colonel said, worried that he might have found a way to stop them, which he had.

"Because your memories are more powerful than anything on this planet, just think of them. Remember, Jo, Sarah, but properly. Give the memory weave everything: every planet, every face, every madman, every loss, every sunset, every scent, every terror, every joy, every Doctor. Every me," He said, with his voice so passionate in a way only his could be.

"I remember!" Sarah Jane said, happy from the memories. She began to smile to herself as she remembered everything he told her to.

"_Memory weave overloading." _Said the computer voice.

"I remember," Jo said softly, and smiled at her own memories just like Sarah Jane.

"We need that key!" Shrieked the Colonel. "What is happening?" The image of the key had begun to disappear. The place shook and the key vanished completely. "What is happening?" She repeated equally angrily. The device had overloaded, and while the Colonel and the Shansheeth tried to fix it, Aliya knew it would be no use. The Colonel yelled at him to reverse it and bring the key back, showing her true ignorance. Sarah Jane had begun to laugh, while the Doctor called upon the teenagers with him to help Sarah Jane remember.

"Think of us, Sarah Jane! Remember Maria, and her dad, and all the stuff we did. Like the Gorgon!" Clyde told her.

"And the Clown, and the Zodiac!" Rani added. "Oh, and the Mona Lisa!"

Aliya looked up at the screen, admiring how clever they all were. _Remember me, Sarah Jane, remember how horrible I was to you. Remember how you defended your humanity and how you told me you were proud of it. It took me a while but eventually I really admired you for that._

"All of it!" Sarah Jane cried." All of it!"

"Just think Gran!" Santiago joined in. "All the countries we've been too."

"Every country in the world!" Jo said softly.

Explosions erupted around the control panel, and the computer announced self-destruct, giving Aliya a sinking feeling in her stomach. Sarah Jane had gotten free and rushed over to help Jo out. Even while sparks were flying left, right and centre the Shansheeth wouldn't cease talking about the key. Aliya could vaguely hear the Doctor muttering on the other side, and knew he had reached the same conclusion that she had.

"I can't unseal the doors!" Cried the Colonel, as Sarah Jane and Jo rushed over to them anyway. Sarah tried to use the lipstick, but the power was drained, and she told the Doctor so through the door.

"Doctor? Doctor, we can't get out!" She said frantically through the doors.

"I can't open it." He admitted, and Aliya knew how much it had to be tearing him apart. She wanted so badly to help them, they would safe inside the TARDIS and they couldn't get in because they had destroyed the key and she couldn't get to the door. She had a feeling that the Doctor regretted handcuffing her now.

"Where's the screwdriver?" She asked him softly.

"It's inside the TARDIS." He told her.

_Along with me. _Everything that could have helped them was on the wrong side of the doors. Aliya pulled against her handcuffs so violently that she thought her wrist would break, but it was no use.

"And we can't get in, because guess what? We stopped ourselves getting the key. Oh, that was clever." She said.

"I just want to say," Jo said, "I'm so glad I saw you again, after all this time, and it was worth it, every second."

_No! It can't end like this, it can't!_ Aliya internally screamed as she yanked at my chains with every fibre of strength in her body.

"The funny thing is, your funeral turns out to be ours instead." Jo finished.

"My funeral?" The Doctor questioned, and there was a spark of hope in his voice.

"Doctor, all of you, you'll look after Luke for me please," Sarah Jane said through her tears, leaning on the door.

"No, listen, my funeral, don't you see, it's my funeral!" The Doctor told them excitedly.

"With a lead-lined coffin!" The two women chorused in unison in the way they had such a habit of doing.

"YES!" Aliya yelled triumphantly. Her smile felt like it could light the whole universe up, because suddenly there was hope as they ran over to the coffin and yanked it open, as an electronic voice from outside informed the Doctor there was ten seconds until the explosion. Someone was banging on the TARDIS door very harshly.

"Sorry, but I couldn't let you in even if I wanted to," Aliya said bitterly. She watched on the screen as Sarah Jane and Jo got inside the coffin. The Colonel was on the floor, and yelled for them to wait for her, but it was too late. The room exploded into flame, and for a few seconds all that could be seen through the scanner was light, before it cleared into a smoke and debris filled, but otherwise safe room. The Doctor strode into the now doorless room in full swagger, and Aliya was so glad to see his stupid face that she nearly started crying with joy.

"Now then, Smith and Jones!" The Doctor said as he opened the coffin and the women inside started laughing with relief. "The coffin was the trap, the coffin was the solution." He muttered some technical term I didn't quite hear. "Well come on then you two, out you get!" He told them, as they giggled and hugged each other. They climbed out of the coffin, and the group walked over to the TARDIS.

"Will we get to see inside?" Sarah Jane asked The Doctor.

"Of course. I'll give all a lift back to Bannerman Road if you like. It's changed a bit since last time, but I like it." He said with a smile. He unlocked the door with his key, and started to open the door, but jumped in surprise when Aliya started yelling at him from inside.

"Doctor, if you don't get your skinny little Gallifreyan butt in here right now..." The Doctor abruptly shut the doors.

"What was that? It sounded like someone was inside." Rani said, looking confused.

"What? No, it's just the hologram system telling me to hurry up and fix the TARDIS. It goes a bit funny when I'm away from it too long." The Doctor said quickly.

"But it sounded like it was yelling at you." She pointed out.

"She's a very sensitive hologram." He said seriously. "I'll deal with it while you get your bags. Just wait outside until I open the door. This should only take a minute," He took another look at the TARDIS door, and reconsidered. "Maybe five." The women and children exited the room to get their bags, discussing hologram gender on the way. Meanwhile, the Doctor took a deep breath before opening the TARDIS door again, bracing himself as he stepped inside.

Aliya watched as the TARDIS door opened, and she stayed completely still as the Doctor entered. He smiled coyly at her.

"Are you okay?" He asked gently, eyes running over her with slight concern.

"Just get over here and get me out of this thing." She said tiredly, and lured him in with a tiny smile. As angry as she was with him, she could not help but be glad to finally see him through her own eyes. He walked towards her, and as soon he stepped onto the first step and was within reach, she used her left hand to slap him across the face. Hard.

"Ow!" He yelped. "What was that for?"

"Don't you ever do that to me again!" Aliya yelled at him, trying to stop the tears that threatened to start. He brought his hand to his slapped cheek, but his eyes ever left hers, guilt swimming through them.

"I'm sorry," He said quietly, wordlessly passing her on the stairs to take his sonic screwdriver from the console where he had left it.

"Nearly two days, I've been stuck in here! The whole time all I could do was worry, because for all I knew, you were dead! I saw them abandon you on that planet and had to watch and listen to people mourning you over your coffin! Do you have any idea what that's like?" She cried desperately, feeling the slight dampness gathering at her eyes. The Doctor said nothing, merely pointed the sonic at the handcuffs. They clicked free and hit the floor with a minute metallic crash, and she flexed her wrist experimentally, so glad to be free of it.

That only lasted a second before Aliya wrapped her arms around the Doctor's waist, hugging him as hard as she possibly could and pressing her face into his shirt. Her hands travelled down slightly and pulled at the back of his tweed jacket, taking comfort in the material that was fast becoming familiar to her. His arms wrapped around her tightly when he realised that the purpose of the action was not violence.

"I'm sorry," He whispered in her ear.

"Do that again, and I'll strangle you with all three of my hands!" She choked out, and he chuckled, causing her to let out a tiny hysterical giggle. "But apology accepted." Aliya whispered back. Eventually he let go of her and his smile became somewhat guilty.

"I know it's the last thing that you want to do, and you have every right to hate me, but I need you to stay out of sight, up in the corridor," He said slowly, waiting for her reaction nervously.

"Why?" She was not angry- she was done being angry and didn't want to be again for a long time- but merely confused.

"It will involve questions that I don't want to answer. Just get up there, stay quiet, and don't let them know you are here, please." He instructed, and Aliya slowly nodded, walking up the steps and sitting just out of sight in the corridor at the top of the stairs. The Doctor walked over the doors to finally let in the five people who had patiently waited outside. Their voices soon filled the room.

"Oh, you've changed the inside again!" Sarah Jane said.

"Whoa!" Clyde and Rani said at the same time.

"Do you just change it whenever you feel like it or something?" Rani asked the Doctor.

"No, not exactly." He replied. Aliya could only hear their voices, but they were distinctive.

"Wow. It really is bigger on the inside," Santiago's voice said, clearly impressed, "This is so cool."

"I never thought I would stand inside this old thing again," Jo said happily. The Doctor began to operate the controls and all the teenagers let out shouts of surprise at the TARDIS's bumpy take off. Once it had landed again the three teenagers left the TARDIS after bidding the Doctor farewell, and Aliya could faintly hear Clyde express his amazement about the TARDIS having moved and Rani telling off someone called Mr Smith, who Santiago then identified as a talking computer. Aliya shifted from where she was sitting so that she could peak at what was going on below her.

Jo was walking around the console, taking in the new TARDIS.

"Still the same old TARDIS. It doesn't matter what's changed, it still smells the same." She closed her eyes and smiled, before opening them again and grinned her wonderful grin. "Nope! Must say goodbye, or else I'd stay with you forever. Besides, I probably wouldn't be able to keep up anymore, get you in trouble with the Time Lords." Her voice was completely innocent, and Aliya's hearts panged painfully at the mention of her lost people. Jo clearly didn't know about the Time War, but judging from the subtle look that passed between the Doctor and Sarah Jane, it would seem that the Doctor had told his other ex-companion one of the other times she had met him since. The Doctor coughed nervously.

"Yeah, I probably better go. You know me, stuff to do," He said quickly, fiddling with the console.

"It's daft though, because we were both saying we had this theory that if...you ever died, we'd feel it somehow. That we'd just know. But that's just silly, isn't it?" Sarah Jane said, hoping for him to contradict her while Jo had a similar expression.

"No, no, no. Maybe not. Because between you and me, if that day ever comes, I think the whole universe might just shiver." He said in a low voice, staring at them intensely before pretending to clutch at his heart in sudden pain. Jo and Sarah – and Aliya, she had to admit to herself - looked panicked for a second before he snapped out of it.

Due the conversation she had held with him minutes before, Aliya was not very amused.

The other women thought otherwise and Sarah Jane smiled while Jo laughed heartily as the Doctor smirked good naturedly at them. He pulled Jo in for a hug.

"Oh..." She said happily as she squeezed him tightly. She moved away and The Doctor and Sarah Jane shared an even larger hug, as they all laughed. After that Sarah Jane and Jo left the TARDIS, bidding the Doctor goodbye. Aliya came out from her hiding spot and back onto the console platform as the Doctor started the TARDIS up again. She pulled down the dematerialisation throttle since she was closer to it than the Doctor was, and then turned to face him.

"_I think the whole universe might just shiver,_" The blonde repeated. "Just how far have you been blowing this Last of the Time Lords thing up?" The corner of his mouth twitched in a way that told her he was amused but didn't want to be.

"Aliya, I've tied myself into so many major events in the Universe, and just the entire threading of it in general, that I believe if I do die one day, the universe _will_ feel it." He said from the other side of the panel, moving his head slightly so she could see him from around the Time Rotor.

"You say that like it's a good thing, when that's exactly what they taught us at the Academy not to do!" Aliya reminded him, holding back laughter at how he seemed to be proud of it. "Then again, I can't think of any rules that you haven't broken! You've basically screwed them all up."

"Enough of the rules, Aliya. Can't we move on?"

She changed the subject. "Jo. She was the reason you got me to hide, wasn't she?" She moved around the console, same as he was. Only when he heard her question did he stop moving, his hands on the edge of the console and his eyes deliberately avoiding hers.

"If I had let you meet them, Sarah Jane would have figured out who you were because she's met you before, and realised that I'm no longer last of my species. The moment she said it out loud, Jo would realise something was wrong, and then I would have to tell her about the Time War. That would have unnecessarily hurt everyone in the room. She doesn't need to live the rest of my life knowing I'm alone." He explained, his expression fixed. Aliya placed her hand on his, and as his eyes came to meet hers, she smiled at him.

"You're not alone any more. I'm here for as long as you want me to be," She told him. He said nothing, but she could see in his eyes that he was grateful. She moved away and began typing in co-ordinates for Cardiff, preparing the initial take-off settings. "I can't believe it, though."

"Believe what?" He said in confusion.

"That was _Sarah Jane Smith. The _Sarah Jane. After all these years, you're still in touch," Aliya said in what was almost disbelief.

"So? Does it surprise you that I have friends?" The Doctor joked.

"No, but normally you run away and never see them again," She pointed out.

"She was different. Special," he said.

"I'm not saying it's a bad thing, Doctor. I always got the impression that you just left your friends behind once they stop travelling with you. I'm glad to be proven wrong.

"So where are we going now?" He asked, changing the subject abruptly as he realised she had entered coordinates.

"Cardiff. We're going to meet Captain Jack," Aliya said happily. The Doctor smiled, but rolled his eyes just a bit. "After two days of just sitting in here waiting for something to happen, you owe me at least that. My time sense isn't going to like it, but he seems like an interesting character and he wanted to meet the new you, so..."

"Alright. Captain Jack it is."


	12. Meeting Jack

As the blue police box materialised in Cardiff Bay with its usual wheezing noise, none of the passersby paid it a second glance. A man in a tweed suit and blue bowtie stepped out, and took a look around the darkened sky partially illuminated by street lamps before turning back to talk to someone still inside the box.

"Hurry up, Aliya! We haven't got all night." He called, and a young blonde woman in a floral summer dress holding a shoe pushed past him and out the door, bending over to put on the shoe her sock covered foot.

"On the contrary Doctor, we've got all of every day and night in every moment of history, so learn some patience."

"I wouldn't have to be patient if you didn't decide to change outfits when it was completely unnecessary," He reminded her, but she shook her head.

"I was wearing the same clothes for two days. I wanted a change." She shrugged coyly. "There so many clothes in the wardrobe I want to try."

"You never wear anything other than denim jeans!"

"But they're so comfortable! And I'm wearing a dress right now, so your argument is invalid. And you only ever change shirts or bowties, so let's not get into _that_. Where are we going, anyway?"

"I don't know." The Doctor said almost reluctantly.

"You don't know?"

"Well how should I? I've never been to this Hub either," He defended, looking around as if there would some sort of a clue, which there wasn't. This caused Aliya to roll her eyes. "You make it seem like I won't be able to find out." He waltzed over to the nearest person who was walking past. Aliya pulled on the bottom of her pale denim jacket with one hand while her other hand's fingers traced over the opposite bare forearm – the new regeneration had an odd habit of pushing long sleeves up to the elbows. She sighed as she looked back at the Doctor. When he returned, he grinned at her. "I know where to go."

"How?"

"Local said that there used to be a Torchwood that were in this general area. Seem to think we might find something at that office there," He pointed in the direction of a tourist office across the Pass "Though they didn't think it was there anymore. Hopefully, Jack's just managed to fool the locals and it is actually still there."

Once they were again composed, they entered the tourist office using the Doctor's screwdriver, and flicked on the light so they were not immersed in darkness once inside. More scanning of the sonic revealed a button that when pressed opened a hidden door, which they did not hesitate to follow.

"Wow, it's quite impressive in here," The Doctor commented, "And Aliya?"

"What, Doctor?" She asked tiredly.

"Don't do any of that flirting business with him. He's from the 51st century, and he'll go after anything with a pulse," He reminded her for at least the tenth time.

"I know, Doctor." She replied patiently. "You wouldn't stop telling me the whole way here." That was true. The moment Aliya had gone off to get changed the Doctor had followed her and talked to her through the wardrobe door, warning her about Captain Jack Harkness.

They entered the Hub through a huge rolling door that made an incredible amount of noise when it was opened, and the sound caused a familiar man in a light blue shirt and braces to come into view around the Rift manipulator.

"Nice place," The Doctor said to him. Jack paused, and looked surprised and unsure of the new arrival.

"Doctor?" He said hesitantly. The Doctor smiled.

"Hello, Jack." He replied. Jack's face split into a huge grin, and he ran up the steps to embrace the Doctor tightly.

"It is _good _to see you again!" He said enthusiastically.

* * *

Jack couldn't believe it. He had been rather worried for his friend, but here he was, in the flesh, albeit a different flesh than the one he had been in before. Still, it was very nice flesh. Very nice indeed.

"And you," The Doctor said, smiling a smile that again was different to his old one, but certainly had its own merit.

"I like the new regeneration, Doctor. The wardrobe is interesting." Jack grinned cheekily, and ran his fingers down one of the Doctor's braces. "These, I approve of. The bowtie however, I have to say is a bit out there."

"Bowties are cool," The Time Lord said defensively. At that moment, a woman whom he had not even noticed, with her hands mostly covering her eyes, peeked out from behind him.

Jack barely had time to notice her, because she immediately exclaimed, "Nope! Nope, nope, nope, nope nope, not even a little bit," And abruptly pressed her hands against her eyes with renewed intent as she turned so that she was facing towards the door.

"Your new girl is interesting," Jack said with a cocked eyebrow.

"You have no idea," His friend answered casually, not looking remotely surprised. "Give her a minute. How's things here?"

"Well," Jack chuckled a little, even though the answer wasn't humorous, "Eventful. Bad stuff, then a whole lot of nothing, then more bad stuff. Now though…it's starting to look up. Got a new team worked out."

"What happened to the old one?"

He grimaced. "Long story." His eyes again darted to the blonde woman who was muttering nonsense to herself. "Is she okay?"

"She's just adjusting."

"To what?"

The Doctor smirked. "To you. I said it once, and I'll say it again. You're hard to look at, you shouldn't exist. You're an impossible thing."

"And it bothers her?"

"It bothers me, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, but you said it yourself, you're prejudiced," Jack recalled, making the man in tweed laugh. And was it just him or did an amused sound come from the woman too?

"Well, she's prejudiced too."

"Uptight, maybe, not prejudiced," The woman said suddenly, slowly turning around. When her eyes landed on Jack, unrestrained revulsion filled her eyes, much to his surprise. "Oh Rassilon," She breathed. But her eyes stayed locked on him, even though her body went rigid. "Hello." It sounded very forced.

"You don't have to make conversation, Aliya," The Doctor said to her, looking at her with an odd sympathy, "I know it's…difficult."

"Is there something on my face?" It was mostly a joke, but Jack couldn't help but be a little concerned. Although, funnily enough, the woman's lips twitched with what was possibly amusement.

"No, not exactly," She replied with a still forced mildness, but she took a few steps forward and stiffly held out a hand to him without offering a name.

He shook it, while still being very confused, "Captain Jack Harkness. And who are you?" He couldn't help it, his usual flirt came out.

"Stop it, Jack." Apparently, he wasn't the only one who had to continue their habitual exchange.

An odd laugh slipped out of her lips. "Wow, you really do say that, huh?"

He shot a wary look at the Doctor. "What have you been telling her?"

"Nothing that was untrue." His tone almost implied that there was more to it than that, but he decided not to press it.

"Aliya."

Jack looked back at her blankly. "What?"

"My name. It's Aliya." A funny little smile played on the corner of her lips as she looked at him. There was still a kind of nausea in her eyes, but it had lessened somewhat. Or perhaps she was merely hiding it better.

"Nice to meet you, Aliya," He said with a grin. "Want to explain anything to me?"

She had the decency to look a tiny bit embarrassed. "Sorry. That was probably quite rude, wasn't it?"

"It's not her fault, Jack, as I say, she's like me," The Doctor cut in. The statement itself could have passed, but there was something in the way he said it that made Jack slightly suspicious.

"How like you are we talking?"

When the Doctor just shared a strange grin with Aliya, it occurred to him that maybe he really meant what Jack thought he meant.

"I found her, Jack," He said simply, "She was trapped and hidden, but she was there this whole time."

"Are you saying what I think you're saying, Doc?"

"If you think I'm saying that you just shook hands with the last living Time Lady of Gallifrey, then yes, I suppose I am," The Doctor smirked as Jack stared at the blonde in front of him with new eyes.

Now that he knew the truth, he could see several similarities. She held herself with the same pride and confidence that the Doctor did. It wasn't necessarily self-confidence, but a different sort of confidence he had never been able to pinpoint on the Doctor and still couldn't on her either. And her eyes held the age and intelligence of a much older person. Not quite to the same degree as her male counterpart, but it was there.

And of course, it meant that she saw him the same way the Doctor did. As an impossible, wrong thing. A fixed point. An abomination. That explained a lot about her reaction.

"How the hell did this happen?" He asked, eyes wide.

"We don't know very much. She was trapped in a kind of void, a prison, right before the War actually started. That's why I couldn't sense her. It was blocking her out."

"We think it's had some kind of lasting effect on my mind because he still can't, at least not clearly. Even when I was out, he could barely sense I was a Time Lady, he had no idea who I was when he should have." Aliya shot the Doctor a look which suggested she still wasn't particularly happy about that part.

"Even now…it's like she's…blurry," The Doctor muttered, eyeing her. "All we can do is hope it fades."

"At least she's not blurry on the outside," Jack said with his usual charming grin. Aliya rolled her eyes but seemed reluctantly amused.

"So do we get a tour?" She asked.

"Of course. Out of curiosity, exactly how much has he told you about me?" Jack asked her as they walked away from the Doctor.

"The whole way here he was lecturing me about how forward you were and warning me not to flirt with you," Aliya said.

"So he covered the basics then. Did he cover in my devastating good looks?"

"No, he very conveniently left that part out," She said, unabashedly giving him a once over. Jack laughed happily at his new progress while the Doctor, following behind them, seemed less than pleased.

"One thing, Aliya, one thing! Don't flirt with Jack! Was that really so hard?" He frowned. "You never used to like flirting."

"Well, new me, new rules, you know that as well as I do," She told him, and then leaned in towards Jack to whisper, "I only regenerated a bit over two days ago," She said it like it was some big scandalous secret, which puzzled him, "Still working out the kinks."

"What kind of kinks?" Jack asked mutinously, making the Doctor groan.

But Aliya's eyes sparkled, her prejudice apparently not too much of a problem by this point. "All kinds," Aliya said casually, walking ahead on her own and leaving the two men to their own conversation.

"I like her," Jack said with a chuckle.

"You would," The Doctor replied, and appeared to notice that Jack's eyes were on a place that was _not _the back of Aliya's head, "Eyes front, soldier!" There was a firmness to the command that made Jack obey, but not without grinning.

"So, is she a stranger to you?"

"What?"

"Well, if she's from your planet. Did you know her, or is she a random stranger you've never met before?"

The Doctor looked surprised. "Oh, no, I know her. She's a very old friend of mine, as luck would have it. I still can't believe that she's…" He trailed off, staring after the woman in front of them. "She shouldn't be alive."

"So what's with her name? The Doctor and the Master, they're titles…Aliya seems more like a name," Jack observed.

"It is, it's a variation of her birth name. She has a title too, but not everyone went by their titles, it was often interchangeable for birth names." The Doctor just shrugged.

"What's her title?"

Aliya abruptly turned around. "Don't tell him, Doctor, or I will tell him every embarrassing story I know about you."

The Doctor hesitated before shutting his mouth pointedly. "You know, Jack, I'm sure she can tell you in her own good time," He said mildly.

"That bad, huh?" Jack lifted an eyebrow. "I've got a few, but not sure how they'll compare."

"How many regenerations of his have you met?"

"Three."

"He knew my first after the war, Aliya, remember, I said he came with me and Rose."

"Oh, right. What was he like?"

Jack grinned. "When I first met him, he was all big ears and grump. But if you could get him to smile…" There was a fondness and a kind of love in Jack's voice underneath the cheek. "Sexy with the leather and the brooding though." The Doctor's face went a little red as he did his best to roll his eyes. Aliya seemed very amused at the description.

"And then he regenerated into the smiley guy with great hair."

"That sounds very much like him," Aliya said, nodding her head. "The smiling Doctors are always the best. Although I have to admit, his sixth body was very irritating. I was very glad I only met him once. An annoying, arrogant bastard who dressed like a circus clown if there ever was one."

"Hey!"

"Really?" Jack said, looking like he wasn't sure whether to find it funny or not.

"Yes, really."

"But I knew his first body best, because we went to school together. But our lives ended up…well, taking very different paths, and his two of his friendliest incarnations both got a rather bad end of the stick from my third one," Aliya continued, frowning as she recalled it.

"Oh really, and what were you like back then?" Jack asked curiously, finding it hard to imagine the smiling woman in front of him being mean to the Doctor in a serious manner.

"In short, I was a bitch," Aliya said bluntly, shaking her head. Jack laughed.

"You were very hostile," The Doctor put in, and she nodded, "Also…defensive."

She ticked it off on her fingers. "I criticised his scarf, called him an idiot, told him off for returning to Gallifrey and breaking into my house, and insulted Sarah Jane just because she was human."

Jack threw her a look of disbelief, and when he realised she wasn't joking, laughed heartily.

Meanwhile, Aliya had cocked her head slightly to the side as she looked at the Doctor questioningly. "Didn't I punch you once too?"

The Doctor nodded after a second's deliberation. "Yes, you did. My jaw was sore for weeks."

Jack looked at them with amused disbelief while Aliya eyed her hands with a new pride, and grinned.

* * *

**Until next time,**

**-MayFairy :)**


	13. Loved Ones Lost

**References to Torchwood: Children of Earth and Torchwood: Miracle Day. Hints at slightly altered canon for the end of the latter, but that won't be touched on til much later. :) **

* * *

"So, what's the verdict?" Jack indicated to the Hub, clearly interested in what they thought of it. Aliya personally thought it was charming and had a nice feel to it.

"Yes, it's very good. It's new though, only about six months or so. But you've been working here for years. What happened?" The Doctor asked Jack curiously.

Jack frowned, and looked as though he was considering his words. "We had a few problems with the Government, had to rebuild." His words were dismissive but something hard in his eyes made it clear that there was more to the story.

"Ah, right. How are those friends of yours? Gwen Cooper? And the other one, the suity one, Ianto Jones, that was his name," The Doctor asked enthusiastically.

It seemed the subject change wasn't the best, as Jack hid a grimace. "Gwen's good. She has a baby now, little Anwen."

"What about Ianto?" The Doctor asked quietly, and the way he said it, Aliya couldn't help but wonder if he suspected the same answer that she did.

Jack said nothing, merely looked away.

"I'm sorry," The Doctor said.

"So am I," Aliya quickly put in.

"You would always come when the Earth was in danger. But when we needed you - when _I _needed you, you never came! We were alone!" Jack retorted, suddenly angry. He took a deep breath. "And I know that you can't always been there. But this time? We needed you. I lost Ianto, and the only way to stop it was to use my grandson! I killed him...he was ten years old, and I killed him. If you had been there, I wouldn't have lost them!"

Shock, pain and then guilt flashed through the Doctor's eyes as he took in the news. "Jack, I didn't know…I'm so sorry."

"Sorry doesn't bring them back," Jack said, his jaw clenched.

Aliya realised that she had no part in the conversation and let herself fade into the background.

"I know. Trust me, I know. But I _am_ sorry. I should have been here," The Doctor said quietly, his eyes pleading with Jack for forgiveness.

"Where were you?" Aliya couldn't help but ask, even if she knew she shouldn't.

"I think, Mars," The Time Lord answered vaguely, his eyes rather far away, "I was…in no shape to be helping anyone. But Jack, I swear if I had any way of knowing that you needed my help, I would have been there."

Jack nodded stiffly, and while his anger and hurt wasn't gone, some kind of acceptance seemed to sit there. "I know. Just check in a bit more next time, to be sure."

"But that's what you meant when you said that you've got a new team," The Doctor realised, "How many have you got?"

"Well, after some bad business in Buenos Aires and Sanghai…four. Me, Gwen, Rex and Esther. We almost lost Esther, but we made a last second decision that saved her life. They never expect the blondes to be the important ones," Jack smiled at that, and shot a look at Aliya, "No offence. But yeah, we were going to use Rex as our main man, but then we realised that they would never suspect Esther. We nearly lost both of them, but they came through, and now Esther's even-" He cut off, an odd look in his eyes that Aliya couldn't read. "Well, that's a story for another time. So yeah, four, but actually might have just found ourselves a doctor, so it might be five soon."

"Five, good number," The Doctor said with a nod, "Try for five."

"And you all just…look after Earth while he's off being an idiot?" Aliya asked with interest, ignoring the Doctor's indignant protest to being called an idiot.

"Pretty much, yeah," Jack said, shrugging. "Someone's got to do it."

"You really do pick them well, don't you?" She looked at the Doctor, who looked surprised at the odd compliment, but nodded and smiled as he straightened his bowtie.

"Yes, yes I do. I choose my friends with great care."

"Clearly," Aliya said, her eyes wandering back to Jack, who while still repulsive to her time-sense, was more than satisfactory in the other senses. It would however take time to adjust to someone so…wrong.

Jack noticed her gaze and smirked. "Look after this one, Doctor, the universe needs more Time Lords, and frankly, she's cute." He shot a wink at Aliya, who rolled her eyes but was a little pleased regardless. Her time-sense however had had just about enough of the assault that was Jack Harkness, and she shot a very pointed look at the Doctor.

"Well, I think we best be off. You know me, Jack. Stuff to do, places to go, things to see," The Doctor said quickly, and Aliya threw him a grateful glance before turning back to face Jack and hold her hand out to him.

"Nice to meet you, Jack," She said with a half-hearted smile, and she looked away from him as soon as she could, feeling rather bad about it. It wasn't _his _fault.

"I'll show you the secret exit." Jack said, and led them over to a paving stone and told them both to step onto it. Once they complied he activated it and it began to rise.

"Oh, that's very clever. I like this." The Doctor said.

"There's a perception filter over the stone, so no one will notice when you reach the top." Jack added just before they vanished out of his sight.

Aliya stepped off the stone first, and had to look out of the very corner of her eye to be able to see the Doctor until he followed suit. Together they walked back to the TARDIS, entering the console room in silence.

All the while, she couldn't help but think about what Jack had said, about losing this 'Ianto' and his grandson. The way he had spoken about Ianto, and the look in his eyes…she knew it well. That Ianto had been much more than a friend.

And to lose family when they were still so young…well, Aliya could relate.

* * *

_After the shocking news of her husband's death – and the more shocking news that no one knew how it had happened - Aliyanadevoralundar returned to her home, wondering how to break the news to her son. The Angel of Arpexia entered the house she had lived in for decades with her head held high, as it would be a blow to her reputation and honour if she was seen with visual grievances on her face. The Time Lord society simply expected that she move on with her life, with no time for grief written into the schedule of capsule engineering work they had lined out for her._

_She stood outside the door that would lead her to the room where she knew that Heta would be eating in, and hesitated, the fingers of her right hand absently reaching up to twirl a curly red lock of hair that had escaped her tight, high ponytail. She wouldn't be dressed so informally, but she had rushed home from the middle of a mechanics job, and was wearing the tunic and leggings that was the usual attire for such things. She moved her hand to the panel that would open the door. It slid open and she stepped inside. The chair in which her seven year old son sat was directly in front of her, and the large back blocked him from her view._

"_Heta?" She said, waiting for his answer. There was none._ "_Heta?" She tried to sense his mind with the maternal psychic link, but there was nothing. Unable to ignore the horrible feeling of foreboding that was washing over her, the Angel stepped to the side of the chair, allowing herself to see what was behind it._

_The unnaturally pale and frail form of her son was curled up in the chair, his head topped with auburn curls that were being crushed by the back of the chair which his head rested against limply. She rushed to his side, could feel the coldness of his skin that went hand in hand along with death. Desperately, she pressed her ear to his chest listening for a heartbeat. But inside she knew it was no use. Time Lords of Oldblood houses were the weakest in their first body, for they only had one heart. It made them easier to kill, but even so, Heta had not been old enough to regenerate._

_The truth of the situation began to set in on the Angel, and she gently took Heta off the seat and pulled him into her arms, rocking his lifeless body back and forth, sobbing quietly to herself. After a few minutes, the noises ceased but her crying became heavier, the tears streaming silently down her cheeks. Her only child dead before he had a chance to live, a chance to be terrified and inspired by the glory of time itself._ _A chance to love, and be loved in a way that only lovers can._ _A chance to properly learn about all the life in the universe, and see it with his own eyes._ _A chance to stand under a different sky._

_A chance to live even just a fraction like the man she so readily admired, her best friend and renegade, the Doctor._

_They were all gone for him._

_Not even half an hour had passed before several Citadel guards entered the room, somehow informed about the child's death. Aliyanadevoralundar ignored their presence and only held her son tighter, knowing what came next._

"_My Lady Angel, you must leave him now." Said one of them. She did not look up, but placed Heta's body on the ground gingerly. She stroked his hair softly, and closed his eyes with her fingertips._

"_Goodbye Heta," Aliya whispered, and placed a kiss on his forehead. Once she had stepped back, two of the guards picked him up and exited the room. The one that remained was the one who had spoken to her before._

"_I was told to relay the information that your assignment with the Type 70 must still be completed by the end of the day." With that he left the room. Aliya ripped her headpiece out violently with a scream of grief ridden frustration and her hair came down into a casual loose ponytail, with the front strands falling in her face. Mere hours ago, she had been married - albeit to a mere acquaintance, but they had finally begun to become friends - with an intelligent child who was definitely going to do something useful with his life. Now, she was childless and a widow, and she was not even permitted time to grieve for them. What a wretched and twisted world she lived in._

* * *

The Doctor looked over at Aliya, who was staring absently into space, her mind clearly somewhere else. But her expression was sad, and she was biting her lip in a way that she always had in her first incarnation when she was very upset by something. He knew exactly what it was, because he had seen that look on several of her other faces and would recognise it anywhere. Her son's death.

His godson's death.

* * *

_The Doctor entered the house of his long time friend, now allowed back to Gallifrey for the special occasion at Aliya's request. Jo had just left him to get married, and he was glad for something to do. He opened the door to reveal a red-haired woman rocking a baby, singing to it softly. She wore a fine gown made of emerald silk. Although he had never seen this body before, he recognised her instantly._

"_Aliya," He said, and she looked up, but without surprise._

"_Hello, Doctor," She said, and her smile was radiant. She was the happiest the Doctor had seen her in a long time._

"_So this is your first regeneration. I must say, it suits you," He told her, and she grinned. Her hair was a lovely dark ginger, though it was still not straight, but curly in a different way from the wavy ringlets of her first body._

"_And you, though I believe that you are one ahead of me. I like the hair," She replied cheekily, eyeing the fluffy white mop on top of his head._

"_That heterochromia of yours seems to be holding up, doesn't it?" He observed, looking at the irises in question, the left one pale green and the right one the dark gold of light butterscotch._

"_My grandmother has had it for eight out of her eleven regenerations so far," She answered. "The mutation must be dominant. I'll have to accept that it's most likely not going to go away." _

"_I believe you will surprise us all." He chuckled. "So this is your son. Have you named him yet?" The Doctor asked her, his eyes now on the dark-haired child in her arms._

"_Hetanalian. Heta for short. The Defender does not approve of the nickname," She said, "You're a bad influence Doctor." Her tone was accusing, but there was a hint of teasing and her eyes danced._

"_Heta?" The Doctor asked, wondering where she had thought of it._

"_Like Theta. They are both part of an alphabet that is native to your favourite planet."_

"_I see," He said, and nodded, oddly flattered. She looked back at her son for a moment._

"_You're the godfather." She said suddenly, her head jerking up. "It took a lot of persuasion, as the Defender didn't approve of having a renegade be the godfather to our son, but I insisted. We've been married long enough now that he sometimes trusts my judgement when it comes to you, though not so often Koschei," She explained, her expression turning thoughtful._

"_And for the latter, with good reason," The Doctor pointed out, and they both smiled, even though the thought of how their old friend had turned out so wrong was not a cheerful one._

_Heta, who had been asleep until that point, chose that moment to wake up._

"_Heta, this is the Doctor," Aliya told him. Heta's eyes moved to the man standing next to his mother and the Doctor blinked in surprise._

"_I do believe you have passed on that mutation of yours to some extent," He exclaimed, as he noticed that Heta's eyes, although both brown, were slightly different shades, one lighter than the other._

"_Yes, his father and I were pleased by that. We seem to agree on a lot these days. I think sometime during this marriage, we actually became friends of sorts. Which of course is fortunate," Aliya said casually. "It's a shame you lost your wife all those years ago, though at least you still have children, more than I have."_

"_Children who have practically disowned me and moved on with their lives." The Doctor corrected. "Only Susan truly cared, and even she found someone more important." His eyes were slightly dark with bitterness._

"_I care," Aliya said quietly, and his expression softened. She placed her son back into his cradle. "I'll always care." With that she hugged him, taking him by surprise. His much larger body soon relaxed against hers, however, and his arms wrapped around her as he hugged her back – his way of thanking her._

* * *

The Doctor had been flattered at being made godfather, even if in the end it had been brief.

Aliya snapped back to attention, and began to get up. The Doctor coughed quickly and began warming up the console. "So, where to now then?" He asked. She got up from the Captain's seat and pulled out her third hand.

"Firstly, I'm going to build a containment jar for this just like you had for your own hand. I'll be in the workshop." She started to make her way up the stairs, but paused when the Doctor stopped her.

"And after that?" He asked. She turned to smile at him.

"With that business with the Shansheeth, I saw Sarah Jane and remembered how I treated her. I love this new regeneration and I don't want the actions of my past ones hanging over me if they don't have to. If it's alright with you, I'd like to apologise."


	14. Bronxites and Bannermen: Hello Again

As Rani Chandra was eating her lunch on that Saturday, she contemplated how exciting it was to have Luke back at Bannerman Rd, even if it was just for the Christmas Holidays. She had just put her shoes on and was planning to head over to Sarah Jane's house when she heard a familiar noise, a wheezing sound that had come to hold a very special place in her heart. She ran out the door and looked down the street, an expectant expression on her face. She was not disappointed. A blue box was materialising about ten metres down the street, and Rani watched as it became fully solid before beginning to walk towards it quickly, stopping some five metres away. The door began to open, and she waited for the man in the bow tie to step out and grin at her. Therefore, she was surprised and confused when a young blonde woman stepped out and looked around excitedly.

"Ha! Bannerman Rd! It has a nice sound to it," She said to herself before noticing Rani. The moment she laid eyes on the girl, her smile grew wider. "Rani!" Her excited expression suddenly melted away, and she bit her lip. "...actually you don't - er, never mind."

"Okay...What were you doing inside the TARDIS? Where's the Doctor? And how do you know my name?" Rani asked, confused and curious, her inquisitive journalist nature setting in. The woman just smiled again.

"The Doctor will be out in a minute, he's probably just fiddling with the handbrake," She said quickly, and turned around to the sound of the TARDIS door closing. She smiled at the Doctor, who was now standing amongst them.

"Hello Rani, how have you been? Has Clyde been staying out of trouble?" He asked enthusiastically, shaking Rani's hand.

"I've been good. Clyde's doing fine. Luke is home for the holidays too." She replied, smiling at the Time Lord.

"Is he? Good. I like Luke, he's clever, almost as clever as me, except not really," The Doctor said. "Shall we go and see Sarah Jane?" He began to walk up the road to Sarah Jane's house, leaving the other two to hurry after him.

"I'm Aliya, by the way," Aliya explained to Rani as they walked. They had barely entered the driveway before Sarah Jane came out of the house and spotted the Doctor.

"Mr Smith picked you up on the scanner, I knew it was you," She said with a huge smile on her face. "It's good to see you again!" The Doctor and Sarah Jane shared a tight hug.

"You'll never be able to get rid of me, Sarah Jane," The Doctor joked. Sarah Jane looked to Aliya.

"You must be Amy," Sarah Jane said warmly, holding out her hand.

"Actually, I'm Aliya. Amy and Rory are still on their honeymoon," Aliya corrected her, smiling back and shaking Sarah Jane's hand. "It's good to see you again." The Doctor frowned at the same time that Sarah Jane did, and the former coughed.

"Anyway, Rani tells me Luke is back," He said quickly. Sarah Jane gave them both a strange look before shaking it off and answering.

"Yes, he and Clyde have gone down to the shops. I expect they'll be back soon." She said. "Do you want to come inside?"

"Yes, we'd love to come inside." The Doctor replied with an awkward smile. The four of them walked into the house and sat down in her living room.

"So what brings you here, Doctor? You don't normally make casual visits," Sarah Jane pointed out, "Or are you going soft? First a married couple in the TARDIS, now domestic visits." Aliya noticed the Doctor frown slightly before letting the statement pass.

"Yeah, she's got a point. The only two times you've turned up was when there were evil aliens trying to kill us or something," Rani added.

"Happy mistake, but Aliya wanted to meet you, so we decided to pop in." Sarah Jane and Rani looked at the blonde curiously, but Aliya's expression gave away nothing, though she did look like she was biting back a statement.

"Is there something wrong Aliya?" Sarah Jane asked delicately. Aliya blushed.

"Well, I don't want to impose, but I've heard about that super computer you've got upstairs and…" She started slowly, embarrassed about asking. Sarah Jane smiled.

"Rani, why don't you take Aliya upstairs and show her Mr Smith?" She suggested. Rani nodded, and Aliya beamed, her excitement transparent.

"Sure." She agreed eagerly, nodding. "It's this way." She told Aliya, and left the room with the older woman in tow. Sarah Jane watched the blonde leave with a strange expression on her face.

"She seems nice," She said with an encouraging smile at her old friend. She was long done with being jealous of his later companions. This one at least had a few more years on her, as opposed to Rose, who had practically been a teenager.

The Doctor nodded. "Nice, er...yes, I suppose. Not exactly the first word that comes to mind."

"What would be?" Sarah Jane lifted an eyebrow with amused curiosity.

"...stubborn," He muttered, then reconsidered, "Loyal, though. But infuriating and somewhat testy."

"All four?"

"Yes, I think so," He said offhandedly, and she chuckled a little.

"So where did you meet her?"

The Doctor hesitated before choosing something close to the truth. "Oh, nowhere special." He said casually, leaning back in his seat. _Just inside a void in an alien mountain on the other side of the galaxy, around four centuries in your future._ "Rory, Amy and I rescued her from a mountain. They went on their honeymoon and we've been travelling."

"How has she been dealing with it all, the aliens and the travelling?" She asked, having never really asked about that sort of thing before.

"She's brilliant," He said with a smile. "Managed to avoid being captured by Sontarans," _The second time round, anyway, _He mentally corrected, "And busted me out from right under their noses."

"Sounds like your type," Sarah Jane said with a grin, "Shall we go upstairs and see what they're up to?"

* * *

"So do you travel with him, then? The Doctor?" Rani asked Aliya as they made their way up to the attic, the interest so obvious in her voice.

"Yes," Aliya said with a smile.

"What's it like?" Rani said, yearning to see other worlds.

"Amazing. Just...amazing."

"I've never been to another planet," Rani said wistfully, and Aliya felt a pang of sympathy for the young girl longing for such wonder that she knew she would find out in space. "Probably never will, since me, Luke and Clyde got grounded by the Judoon."

"You got grounded by the Judoon?" Aliya repeated incredulously, knowing it was disappointing for Rani but fighting back a strange urge to laugh.

"We locked him in a cupboard." Rani admitted, and when she caught the blonde's different coloured eyes they both giggled slightly, imagining a Judoon locked in a cupboard, although Rani didn't have to. She opened the door to the attic and the two of them entered it. "Mr Smith! I need you." The innocent looking wall immediately came to life and began to open out into a huge computer, and as the fanfare played, Aliya wandered down the steps to get closer.

"Impressive," She said, nodding. The computer screen came to life, and didn't waste any time doing its job.

"Non human life source detected."

"Impressive _and _efficient," The Time Lady corrected herself.

"Thank you," The computer replied.

"Aliya, are you not human?" Just as Rani had asked the question, the Doctor and Sarah Jane arrived in the attic as well.

"Sarah Jane, the Doctor's companion is not human," Mr Smith reported to the mistress of the house, who lifted an eyebrow at her old friend and his new friend.

"Not human, not human, you're all starting to sound like a broken record," Aliya muttered, "Does it even matter? I mean as you can all see, I'm not a bloody Shansheeth trying to pretend the Doctor's dead or anything like last time!"

"Did he tell you about that?" Rani asked.

"I don't think he did," started Sarah Jane, her mind now soaring forward. "Because the timelines don't add up. You said that you rescued Aliya from a mountain with Rory and Amy. Therefore, she was with you before you dropped them on a honeymoon, which you did sometime before you helped us with the Shansheeth. Which means..."

"That I was there," Aliya finished for her, and Sarah Jane nodded slightly.

"Except she wasn't. You weren't there," Rani put in, reminding them of the obvious.

"Jo Grant came into the coffin room with a vase of lilies and wouldn't stop babbling on for the life of her about how the glass was hand blown, how beautiful the Shansheeth were, and how those people she had visited sung all night at funerals," Aliya spouted off memory, and the other two females in the room looked at her in stunned disbelief.

"But how could you know that? The Doctor wasn't there at the time, so he couldn't have told you." Rani asked in wonder.

"Because I was there. Don't you remember? Behind all that smoke, the TARDIS was in there the whole time. And the whole time, from the moment that the Shansheeth stole the TARDIS to when we left Bannerman Road, I was inside it," Aliya said.

"But if you were inside the TARDIS, why didn't you come out and help us, warn us?" Sarah Jane asked, not seeing how she could have just stayed inside the whole time.

"Oh believe me, I wanted to. But he," Aliya turned to glare at the Doctor, who had the decency to look slightly ashamed of himself, "Made sure I couldn't do anything by handcuffing me to the rail of the stairs inside. The best I could do was activate the scanner with my foot so I could see and hear what was happening outside."

"I knew it was a trap, and I needed you inside the TARDIS in case anything went wrong," the Doctor defended.

"But then why weren't you inside when he gave us a lift back home?" Rani asked Aliya.

"I was hiding in the corridor up the stairs; the Doctor said I couldn't let you meet me. It would have brought up too many questions," The blonde muttered.

"What do you mean, questions?" Sarah Jane was back to being slightly suspicious.

"Jo would have found out about the Time War," Aliya snapped.

"The Time War? That's what killed your people, wasn't it?" Rani guessed, her statement directed to the Doctor, and even Sarah Jane looked surprised, the Doctor never having specified what had made his species all but extinct.

"Yes," The Doctor said. Sarah Jane frowned, her expression thoughtful.

"What I don't understand is how she would have found out about the Time War just because you talked to us," She mused, turning her gaze back to Aliya, who shrugged.

"I would have gotten excited and said something I shouldn't have, and then you would have realised." She said slowly, biting her lip.

"Realised what?" Sarah Jane asked her, clearly sick of not comprehending. Getting answers was in her journalist nature, and the answers were taking to long to come.

"Realised that we've already met," Aliya said, and Sarah Jane looked confused, the other three people in the room could practically hear her brain whirring.

"Your name, Aliya. It sounds so familiar. I've heard it before, I know I have," She said, wearing a deep in thought frown.

"Think of the Doctor, the one with the scarf. That ridiculous, ridiculous scarf." Aliya said, looking into Sarah Jane's eyes, and the two of them shared a slight humorous smile. "He took you to Gallifrey – completely illegally – because a friend of his had just suffered a terrible loss. And she was called Aliya. I was and still am called Aliya. Aliyanadevoralundar, born of the House of Arpexia, during the Rassilon Era of Gallifrey. You were there when I regenerated for the second time." Aliya's eyes were solemn as Sarah Jane remembered the day.

"You're Aliya. _The_ Aliya. You're alive," Sarah Jane whispered.

"But I thought only Time Lords could regenerate," Rani said in confusion.

"Exactl,." The Doctor said, and his thoughts turned to the fateful day where all of it had began, as Aliya and Sarah Jane also remembered the first time they met, all three of them recalling the same event.

* * *

_Sarah Jane entered the console room to see the Doctor staring at one of the screens with a very troubled expression._

"_Something wrong, Doctor?" She inquired._

"_Oh, nothing wrong, just received some bad news. We may just have to make a slight detour, Sarah." He said with a worried frown._

"_What sort of bad news?" She asked him._

"_There's someone back home who needs my help. It won't take long." _

"_Gallifrey? Really?" Sarah Jane asked excitedly, and the Doctor nodded, but his face did not hold her excitement._

"_Do you realise how serious this is? Humans are not allowed on Gallifrey. We're going to have to be very careful, straight in, and straight out. The only reason it is going to work is because hopefully they won't know that we are there. I don't know what to do if they call me back officially someday," He said grimly, and Sarah Jane nodded, composing herself._

"_I understand, we've got to be careful." She said solemnly, and the TARDIS shook slightly._

"_Well, we've landed." The Doctor said quietly, and the two of them went to the doors. They opened them and stepped into a finely designed Gallifreyan house._

* * *

_Aliya's hands shook violently as she opened the wooden box, revealing the finely crafted dagger from the Thieves Market of Shan Shen. It was a perfect relic of its time period, and had been a gift from the Doctor's brother Braxiatel - from his collection. Slowly she took the handle in her hand and turned it over a couple of times. It was an elegant weapon about to be used for a very inelegant solution to her problem. _

_The ridiculous wheezing sound of the Doctor's TARDIS filled the air. Aliya's breath hitched in her throat, but she did not stop what she was doing, as she knew if she did not act now he would stop her. _

_She drove the knife into her midsection with as much force as she could muster. __As the pain overtook her and the crimson blood began to stain the grey material, the door of the room slammed open, and she turned her head over her shoulder to see the Doctor (he had regenerated _again_), in all of his glory, wearing a ridiculously long scarf and sporting wild brown curls._

"_Doctor," She breathed, and his expression became grave with a small hint of affection and sympathy._

"_Aliya," He said softly, and crossed the room. When he was right behind her, she turned around swiftly and let him put his arms around her. "I'm so sorry." He knew that asking if she was alright would be pointless, and her tears started up again with renewed force._

"_Doctor, he's gone. My son, gone." She sobbed into his chest and shoulder, and briefly noted a young woman some metres away, presumably human. She was too upset to care, even about the breaking of one of the most important rules on Gallifrey._

"_It will be okay, Aliya. We heal with time," He told her with an odd wisdom. _

"_We are the Lords and Ladies of time, born to choose where we want to be, and to never have to wait. But you cannot skip through grief, can you, Theta? It is the one thing that makes us just like anyone or anything else in the universe," Aliya whispered back, more talking for her own benefit as opposed to his._

"_I know," He replied. Behind him, his human seemed jealous for a few moments before it disappeared to be replaced with sympathy and pity. _

"_It hurts, Doctor, it hurts," The Time Lady cried, and he was about to console her when he for the first time noticed something hard pressing against his lower stomach. He pulled away from her and held her at arm's length, and stared in horror at the knife protruding from her midsection, and the red stain that surrounded it. Her pain filled expression was also guilty, and she looked away._

"_Oh my goodness," Sarah Jane gasped, staring at the sight._

"_Aliya," His eyes were wide with surprise and sadness, "What have you done?"_

"_It hurt too much. It has to end, to change. It was to be different, or else I don't want it. Now you better get back," Aliya replied in a breathy and weak voice, closing her eyes for a moment tiredly before opening them again. The Doctor stepped back, forcing Sarah Jane to as well, and assuming a protective stance in front of her._

_Aliya dropped to the ground, still growing weaker with each passing second. The Doctor and Sarah Jane watched the woman, she with horror and he with great sadness and pity. Aliya's fumbling fingers closed around the knife and pulled it out before casting it away somewhere underneath the table. Her butterscotch and green eyes held the Doctor's own before they gently closed, and her body went still._

"_Goodbye, Doctor," She breathed with her final breath._

"_Is she dead? Or is she going to change her face like you did?" Sarah Jane asked the Doctor, and watched the golden glow begin to surround Aliya._

"_She's regenerating," He murmured. The golden energy covered the Time Lady completely, and expelled in every direction. When it faded, the woman left was still unconscious, but of course was completely different._

_Her hair was a short, rich brown bob, and for the first time in her lives, completely straight. It was hard to tell when she was curled up on the floor, but the Doctor guessed that she would be taller, and more of an hourglass body shape than her previous two incarnations had been. Her facial features were more pronounced in a way, with a powerful but becoming nose, high cheekbones and a stronger chin. It was a completely look than that of her first two incarnations, though he was hardly one to judge. _

_Suddenly, her eyes flicked open. One was a light mahogany brown while the other was dark grey. Slowly, stiffly, she got to her feet. _

"_Aliya, are you alright?" The Doctor said slowly, and she looked him in the eyes for the first time, and he blinked in surprise to see the coldness in them._

"_Don't call me that," She spat, her expression surprisingly angry, and he backpedaled. _

_"Why not?" He asked - it was a reasonable question. It had always been her preferred name out of them all. _

_"Aliya was a child who refused to grow up."_

"_Lady Angel, then?" He guessed. Her first incarnation, even after choosing the title, had continued to prefer Aliya, but her second had almost always gone by the Angel. _

"_Oh yes, I am such a valiant protector and guardian...hardly,__" She rolled her new eyes that were full of contempt._

"_Aliyanadevoralundar?"_

"_Still sounds as pompous as it always did."_

"_Then what are you going to call yourself?" The Doctor asked hesitantly, slightly wary of this new and somewhat unfamiliar version of his oldest friend._

_It took her several moments to decide. _"_Luna." The Doctor's eyes widened slightly in surprise._

"_But...that's what Koschei used to call you," He said with a confused frown, and Luna's eyes narrowed._

"_Yes. He did, despite being a complete manipulative bastard, he never treated me like a child. It's the only name that doesn't make me want to puke," She said coldly._

"_Do you mean your husband?" Sarah Jane asked curiously and Luna turned to her with her with anger written all over her features._

"_I wasn't talking to you, ape. No, not my husband. It was an arranged marriage; we didn't actually love each other. Now do us all a favour and just be quiet, will you?" She pretended to smile pleasantly before smirking and returning her gaze to the Doctor. However, Sarah Jane was determined to not be shot down._

"_If 'ape' is supposed to be an insult directed at my humanity, then you've got another thing coming." She defended testily. "I am human, and proud of it!"_

_"Of course you are," Luna smirked before turning to the Doctor. "And you better get your precious little stupid human out of here before the Citadel guards track you down, or there will be living hell to pay, especially if they find you in an otherwise empty house with bloodstains on the floor." She turned away from them and started digging around in a drawer of one of the cupboards for something._

"_Empty house? You seem to be forgetting about yourself," The Doctor said._

"_But I won't be for long. Run along now, Doctor. Goodbye." Luna said in a patronising tone, pulling out a key. She walked over to another cupboard – one as tall as her- and turned the key in the lock, and the door swung open._

"_Goodbye, Ali." He said softly, and she scowled at him before walking into the cupboard, where the door closed behind her._

"_What is she doing inside a cupboard?" Sarah Jane asked the Doctor. The cupboard began to dematerialise._

"_It's a TARDIS," He realised._

"_Like yours?" She said. "Why is it a cupboard?"_

"_Her chameleon circuit must be fully functional." He said without really thinking._

"_Because that explains everything," Sarah Jane said sarcastically, rolling her eyes, though not actually annoyed at him despite being insulted by his friend. The Doctor smiled coyly._

"_Come on, she was right, we need to get back to the TARDIS." He said, and they both hurried out of the room and back into the police box. He looked at the screen, to find an open com link, as she was still in the area. He opened it up. "Aliya, Luna, whatever you want to call yourself, running won't solve anything!" He said through the system._

"_And why is that, Doctor?" She answered in a bored tone._

"_Because you can't just run off and leave the planet. You were the one who always said that," He said, trying to make her see reason._

"_You're one to talk, you scatter-brained idiot," She retorted._

"_Yes, but I'm different, I'm a renegade!" He cried desperately._

"_Technically, so am I." She replied coolly. "The Deca, don't you remember, Doctor? I may not have been an actual member, but all my friends were, I was part of your precious little clique in all but name. I'm just taking up the role of renegade slightly late."_

"_But you said you would never do as we do. That your place was on Gallifrey."_

"_You are not one to talk about keeping your word.__" Her voice was cold. The com link ended._

* * *

Sarah Jane Smith stared at Aliya in speechless shock, and slight fear.

"Oh my God. It's you," She breathed.

* * *

**- MayFairy :)**


	15. Bronxites and Bannermen: Pick Up

"So, you have met her," Rani said as she looked between the two older females.

"Yes, a long time ago, back when I was still travelling with him," Sarah Jane said quickly, still staring at Aliya in awe, but seemed to have not worked up the courage to say something to her.

"Hello, Sarah Jane," Aliya said again, smiling warmly. "It's good to see you again."

"Well I suppose it's good to see you too. Except that last time we met, you didn't seem so glad to see me," Sarah Jane told her, and Aliya nodded, looking bashful.

"I really am sorry about that," She apologised with a slight frown. "But that regeneration hated almost everyone. She – I was bitchy to everyone I met, even the Doctor!"

"Yes," Said Sarah Jane with a small smile of remembrance, "I do recall you calling him a scatter-brained idiot." Aliya nodded at that, and shrugged.

"Still somewhat true."

"Hey!"

"But you're exactly right, Sarah Jane," Aliya continued, "The Doctor was, is and always be my best friend in the entire universe. So for me to not like him meant that no one else stood a chance. But...the entire reason we're here is because I asked if I could see you. I want to apologise for how I treated you," Aliya said sincerely. "I won't say I didn't mean all those things I said because I did - at the time. But now I don't and I am very sorry. That body was born of loss, grief, and self-harm, not that it's an excuse."

"Oh, well, it's alright." The journalist seemed surprised. "Apology accepted, especially considering that you were a different person, quite literally. And you were in a lot of pain. That can make people do a lot of things they later regret."

"I'm sorry, can someone please explain this all to me?" Rani asked suddenly.

"Well, the less important part is that Aliya and I have met before, though under much less pleasant circumstances," Sarah Jane said without lingering on the topic, "But the important part is that she's a...um...what's a female Time Lord?"

"Time Lady," The Doctor replied.

"Aliya is a Time Lady," Sarah Jane said in uncontainable happiness. "You're not alone in the universe after all, Doctor!" She hugged the Doctor in excitement, and by the time she pulled back he too was smiling hugely.

"No. No, I'm not," He said, and turned his smile on Aliya, who smiled back, looking unsure of herself.

"But seriously, Sarah Jane, is there anything I can do to make it up to you? A trip in the TARDIS, maybe?" The blonde asked hopefully.

Sarah Jane smiled, with a tiny hint of sadness. "No thanks, not for me. But perhaps, Rani?" Rani looked surprised and confused.

"But I was grounded by the Judoon," She said, and Sarah Jane nodded.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean you can't have a look around the TARDIS properly if Aliya is willing to show you around." She suggested, and Rani looked interested so Aliya shot a look at the Doctor to ask for permission, and nodded when he did.

"I'd be happy to. You could go swimming in the pool if you want," She said as she walked out of the attic, followed by Rani, and further behind, the Doctor and Sarah Jane.

"You have a swimming pool?" Rani asked incredulously as they went down the stairs.

"Wardrobe with clothing from every era of every planet, swimming pool, bath the size of a swimming pool… you name it," Aliya listed before grinning at the other girl. They exited the house and walked down the street to the TARDIS. Aliya held up her right hand and clicked her fingers. The light on top of the phone box went off with a double beeping noise.

"That sounded like a car lock. What's up with that?" Rani asked, laughing.

"I think it's the Doctor's idea of a joke," Aliya muttered.

"Did you mean for that to happen?" Rani inquired, and Aliya shook her head.

"No. The Doctor's better at it than me. He can open the TARDIS door with a snap of his fingers. Me…not so much." She touched the handle of the door and pushed ever so slightly, and it opened. "Hmmm, though I suppose it wasn't a complete failure. I unlocked it, just didn't open it." The two of them stepped inside. Aliya did a funny little jog up the steps to the console platform, and Rani made haste to follow her. Aliya stroked the console gently as a sort of greeting. The TARDIS hummed, and Rani looked around confused.

"Why is it doing that?" She asked curiously.

"She's happy to see me, and you, for that matter." Aliya explained, but only managed to plant more questions in Rani's head.

"But how can a machine be happy to see someone?" She said in confusion.

"The TARDIS is alive. She likes you," Aliya said simply.

"Why me?"

"I don't know. You're probably companion material," That got Rani grinning, and Aliya grinned back and gestured out with her arms. "So, the whole of the TARDIS, any room you can think of, where do you want to start?"

"I don't know," Rani said, biting her lip with excitement in her eyes. "That swimming pool sounded good."

"Then off to the swimming pool it is." Aliya said happily, and led Rani up the steps, taking the many twists and turns around the many corridors until she reached the familiar door.

"How do you remember the way?" Rani asked, looking back on where they had come from but not having the slightest clue on being able to get back to the console.

"Time Lord memory." She threw the door open and walked inside. Rani stepped into the room, her face alight with wonder.

"Oh my god, is that a waterfall?" Indeed it was. At the opposite end of the vast room, there was a separate pool, with a waterfall about three metres high pouring into it. Aliya knelt by the side, peering through the water.

"Yeah, and if I'm right, then there is a little underwater tunnel between the two pools., Aliya said, standing back up. "The Doctor found this room just after I arrived. The swimming pool went missing after the TARDIS rebuilt." They walked along the edge of the pool, past a potted palm tree with rainbow coloured palm leaves, the only bold colour in the entire room, moving closer to the waterfall.

"How does a room go missing?" Rani asked, chuckling lightly.

"The TARDIS moves the rooms around, especially when you ask her too. Sometimes things go wrong. I believe once the swimming pool was in the library." Aliya explained.

"That's just… mad." Rani said, shaking her head. "But totally brilliant. Mind you, you probably grew up with this sort of thing your entire life. You probably think it's all really dull and boring."

"Grew up with it, yeah. Boring, after all I've been through? Never." Aliya said, smiling. "Do you want to check out another room? The wardrobe, perhaps?"

"Yeah, that sounds brilliant. Did you know, once I got transported back to the era of Queen Jane, you know, Jane Grey?" Rani said enthusiastically. Aliya frowned, tracing her memory.

"I think so, yeah."

"She was only Queen for nine days." Rani said sadly. "And she was _so _nice. She was a year younger than me, but married and ruling a country."

"That's nothing. On Metebelis II they had a king that only reigned for half an hour before someone swooped in and cut his head off." Aliya laughed despite the gruesome image.

"I've heard Jo and Sarah Jane talk about a Metebelis III. Are they like, related planets or something?" Rani asked as they left the pool room.

"Sort of, but the layout of galaxies is hard to explain to someone who hasn't been learning it from birth, and the naming of planets goes hand in hand with it. Frankly, it's dead boring. Geography was never a strong point or an interest of mine." Aliya shrugged.

"Oh." She lapsed into silence, and even when they got to the wardrobe room she seemed quiet, and it did not escape the Time Lady's notice.

"Are you okay? You seem kind of quiet all of a sudden." She asked as they browsed through the ridiculous sixties section.

"I dunno, it's just…there was this girl. Before me. She lived in the house that I live in now, and she basically did what I did. She fought aliens with Luke, Sarah Jane and Clyde. Then she had to move away. But it's just…" Rani said, unsure of what to say.

"You feel like you're not special?" Aliya guessed, and Rani immediately shook her head vigorously.

"No, nothing like that. It's just, look at me. Where I am right now." She gestured around her, the TARDIS wardrobe in all of its splendour. It was sorted by planet, then divided into sub-groups of country, era, and gender. She laughed nervously. "I'm inside the TARDIS, the spaceship that belongs to the man Sarah Jane travelled with. This place, and him, they are what got her to live her life the way she does now, and are what led her to knowing me. But Maria's never seen it. I've met the Doctor three times, and she's never even seen him!" Rani said, and Aliya finally knew what she meant, and a plan began to form in her brilliant head.

"Well, I guess we'll just have to change that, won't we?" Aliya said with a huge and mischievous smile. She gestured for the girl to follow her out of the wardrobe.

"What does that mean?" Rani asked as Aliya led her along the corridor until they finally reached the console room. Aliya walked down the steps before turning back to face the younger girl.

"Do you fancy a trip?" Aliya asked slyly, an untameable grin spreading rapidly across her face.

"But I can't leave Earth, remember?" Rani reminded her, descending the stairs slowly.

"Maria didn't move into Outer Space, did she?" Aliya said patronisingly.

"No…"

"Well then." Aliya smirked, and Rani began to see where the blonde was going with her unexplained thoughts.

"So are you just going to take the Doctor's TARDIS without asking?" She asked, wondering if that was rude or not, or whether it was the norm for Aliya and the Doctor.

Aliya frowned. "He won't let me go back and find mine, so yes, yes I am. Where does Maria live?"

"Washington D.C, in America." Rani replied automatically.

"Sorry Rani, I need something a little more specific." Aliya said, flicking the various controls, and having a slight internal debate about whether or not to use the blue stabilisers before finally deciding against it.

Rani thought hard before reciting the address. Aliya entered in the co-ordinates and pulled the de-materialisation lever. The TARDIS shook only a little despite the lack of stabiliser use, and after some bouncing around from the TARDIS flight, Rani grinned at the Time Lady once they finally landed.

"That was brilliant," She said. "It's so weird to think it's a completely different country out there. I fight aliens, but I've never even left the country before."

"Outside those doors is America. You've travelled in time too, I had to jump a certain amount of hours or else it would the middle of the night." Aliya informed her, taking delight in Rani's wonder. "Care to open the doors?"

Rani ran over to the door and flung it open, and Aliya quickly followed. The two of them stepped out onto the bright street – it had lots of posh houses with occasionally fancy cars parked outside- and Rani pointed to the house that had the matching number. They walked up to the door, taking in the white house .

"Maybe I should go first, because she knows what I look like. But what am I supposed to say? Hi, do you want to come in the Doctor's spaceship back to Sarah Jane's just because we can?" Rani asked as she rang the doorbell, and when she turned to look at Aliya, the Time Lady frowned.

"Well what else are you going to say?" She asked in confusion.

"I dunno, it's just a bit weird, that's all." Rani shrugged.

"It's normal for me," Aliya said with a smile.

"Yeah," Rani said, thinking about it, "I suppose it is." The door opened and a girl who looked about Rani's age with curly dark hair and a kind face stood there. She looked at Rani – Aliya was out of her line of sight, hiding behind Rani- with complete and utter disbelief.

"Rani?" She said incredulously. "What are you doing here?"

"Um, it's sort of a long story, but basically…" Rani said, not entirely sure of what she was going to say, and was glad when Aliya stepped into Maria's view and took over.

"She got here through me," She said, and Maria looked at her curiously.

"I don't mean to be rude, but who are you?" She asked.

"I'm a friend of Sarah Jane's. Or rather, a friend of a friend," Aliya said enthusiastically.

"Aliya is a friend of the Doctor's." Rani told Maria.

Maria looked at Aliya in a slightly new light, a bright smile on her face. "The Doctor, you mean Sarah Jane's Doctor?" She asked excitedly. Rani beckoned to Maria and pointed down the street at the blue police box.

"That's the TARDIS, the little blue box that Sarah Jane travelled in through time and space." She said.

"Really?" Maria breathed, wonder alight on her face.

"We came to see if you wanted a little trip." Aliya said.

"You mean into Outer Space?" Maria asked in disbelief, but was clearly not averse to the idea.

"Uh, no. Not exactly. Rani's been grounded by the Judoon," Aliya said, and when she saw Maria's questioning look she added, "Who are like space police, and she can't leave the planet, even if we were allowed, which we're not. I just meant a trip to see Sarah Jane, Luke and Clyde, and you know, maybe the Doctor." Maria looked excited, but it quickly faded.

"What's wrong?" Rani asked.

"Well, me and Dad have this big day planned. I can't just go running off." She said, looking forlorn.

"Um, time machine, remember?" Aliya reminded her with a raised eyebrow. "I can have you back for ten seconds after you left. Your dad won't even know you were gone." Maria's whole face lit up like it was Christmas.

"Alright. I'd love to go. I'm still telling Dad though. Oh, Rani, I didn't say before, but it's great to meet you in person." Rani grinned at Maria when the girl said that.

"You too."

"Dad! We've got some visitors," Maria called out down the hall, and a man in sweat pants and a t-shirt came to the door.

"Rani? But…what…" He seemed a little lost for words, which Maria promptly took advantage of.

"Do you remember that man I told you about, the man Sarah Jane used to travel with?" She said slowly. He nodded. "Well Aliya is a friend of his. She flew Rani over here to offer me a lift over to Sarah Jane. And it's a time machine, so I'll only be gone ten seconds for you."

"She can fly a time machine?" He asked sceptically. Instead of taking offence, Aliya merely stood and approached him, holding out her hand.

"I don't believe we've been properly introduced," She said with a bright smile.

"Alan Jackson," He said unsurely as he shook her hand.

"Aliya," She replied warmly, and was a little surprised when he did not accept that alone.

"Aliya what?" He asked. Aliya realised that he expected her to have a surname – really, the things these humans came up with – and said the first thing that sprang into her mind.

"Harkness, Aliya Harkness," She said, and tried not to laugh when she realised the name she had picked.

"Okay, and you can fly this spaceship thing?" Alan asked.

"Yep, the Doctor taught me himself."

That was not a lie, though it had not only been the Doctor. The moment she realised that his flying methods left quite a lot to be desired, she had rushed to Koschei - the boy the Master had once been - and asked him to help her relearn. That was a time when they had been already been together for years, and although he had been a good teacher, though he had wasted no time in taking advantage of their solitude and whispering dirty things- things that sounded much worse in Gallifreyan than they ever could in English, or any other language for that matter - in her ear while she was trying to concentrate, and rewarding her with kisses when she got something right, or stealing them just because he felt like it.

Her cheeks burned just thinking about it. Although, it had been worth it when Theta had come out looking forlorn due to his failing mark, and they laughed at him. Or at least Aliya had. Koschei had simply smirked smugly.

"Will she be safe?" Alan asked her, and Aliya nodded. Soon all four of them were outside the house, three preparing to leave. They stood outside the TARDIS, and Alan wore a look of complete disbelief.

"This is not a spaceship, it just can't be." He looked at Aliya's raised eyebrow. "Even if it is, how will you all fit? It's tiny."

"Take a look for yourself." Aliya pushed the door open and walked inside with Rani, watching Maria and her dad walk in slowly. "Jacksons, welcome to the TARDIS."

"It's bigger on the inside," Alan said, completely shocked.

"Just like Sarah Jane said," Maria added, quickly recovering from the surprise.

"Well, we best be off." Aliya said, hopping up to the console. Alan stepped back out the doors, but stayed looking in.

"And you can fly this." He said flatly. "Someone as young as you can fly a time machine that can travel all over the universe. You can only be in your twenties!" Aliya saw how it must look to him, with her seeming to not even be ten years older than the other two girls and having this responsibility. She bit her lip and smiled mischievously.

"Alan, I don't know how to break this to you, but I'm 710." She said with a small smile. It was a lie, she was at least a thousand years old. But if the Doctor could not off three hundred years off his age, why couldn't she?

"What?" He said, not knowing how to process the new piece of information.

"You didn't expect an alien like me to have the same life span as you, did you?" She laughed.

"Now hang on…" He started.

"Bye! See you soon." Aliya said cheerily and activated the door lock, the door slamming shut before Alan could re-enter the TARDIS. She danced around the console pressing various buttons and flicking the necessary switches (though not the blue 'boringers'), Rani and Maria wisely choosing to back away to the sides and stay out of her way.

"Is that true? You're a 710 year old alien?" Maria asked.

"Yeah, she's a Time Lord just like the Doctor." Rani told her, leaning back against the rail, watching the woman in question.

"Time _Lady_." Aliya's voice corrected, though not crossly.

"So, if you're 710, then were your life events spaced out?" Maria asked suddenly. "Were you like, 100 years old when you first got kissed?" She chuckled, while Rani looked vaguely amused.

The blonde considered the question. "No, I believe I was actually about fifty at the time. Which was on the younger side."

"Fifty, that's so weird," Maria grinned. "How old was he?"

"Um...about 240? Give or take a decade?" Aliya guessed, unable to recall the actual age. But he and the Doctor - Theta at the time - had not been very different in age, so that had to be about right, as the Doctor had roughly two centuries on her...

* * *

_The dorm room area was huge, with large and reasonably comfortable separate rooms for each student. There were three levels of the huge space, each with balconies –with specially carved railings- leading all the way around the levels on all four equal sides, leaving a large square hole in the middle that could be used to look up or down at the other levels._

_Aliya and Koschei walked side by side on the way back to the dorms. Theta and Ushas were somewhere behind, bickering away as usual – Theta playfully, Ushas irritably – so the two blondes had purposely strode ahead to get away from the pointless and unceasing argument. Eventually, the two of them reached Aliya's door._

"_Goodnight." She said with a grin. She hugged him tightly, her nose buried in the side of his childlike round curls. Hugging had been something it had taken her a couple of years to get used to, with it being such a large show of affection , something Time Lords – particularly engaged ones like herself – were not really supposed to engage in. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow, same old boring day."_

"_Oh, I don't know. There are ways to make it more interesting," Koschei said. Neither of them had really moved back much after the hug, and there was only a few inches between them. Aliya became aware of their proximity and stepped back subconsciously, almost leaning against her door. Something new resided in his green eyes, and she felt a strong anticipation. But for what?_

"_Like what?" She asked, her voice almost a whisper._

"_Like this." He replied, took hold of her shoulders firmly and closed the gap between them, lips on hers in a way that he had longed for for a long time._

_Aliya froze for about half a second in surprise, but then she relaxed and gave him her unspoken agreement. The kiss was tender, though she could feel some underlying element in it that she could not identify. It was not long before he pulled away, and met her eyes with triumph in his own._

"_Just something for you to think about." He whispered, before abruptly turning away and walking off. Aliya touched her still tingling lips, and smiled slightly to herself as she opened the door and entered her room._

* * *

"Ooh, older man!" Rani said cheekily, and Aliya snorted.

"It was nothing, really. We were at school together, the age difference couldn't have mattered less."

Maria didn't seem to convinced, she just kept smirking. "And how did that end, then?"

Aliya frowned. "...badly." She did her best not to think about it, it had been sitting happily forgotten in her head for quite a while. "The important thing is that it ended. I try not to think about it actually."

"He can't have been that bad."

The Time Lady lifted an eyebrow. "He turned into a psychopath, gave himself the title 'The Master' to prove it, has since attempted to kill the Doctor numerous times, has actually killed countless others, and defied death more times than you would believe." As intended, the two teenagers stopped grinning. "He's dead now, thankfully."

"Wow, you picked a real winner there," Rani joked, and Aliya rolled her eyes.

"He was handsome! And nice!" She defended. Then, weakly, added, "At first. Anyway, enough about my previous love life thank you very much. We've landed." The three of them walked out the door and onto Bannerman Road. "It's only a couple of minutes after we left. You two stay out here, I'll get Sarah Jane."

"Okay." The two girls stayed put in the driveway next to Sarah Jane's car while Aliya dashed inside.

"Sarah Jane? I've got a surprise for you." She said, but her voice trailed off when she saw there was no one in the living room. She frowned and went up the stairs to pop her head into the attic. There was no one there. She ran back down the stairs. "Sarah Jane, Doctor? Luke, Clyde?" She called out, urgently searching for someone else. She ran outside back to Maria and Rani.

"Why were you calling out?" Maria asked.

"The house is empty. They're gone. The Doctor and Sarah Jane, they're not there, they've just disappeared. A couple of things inside have been knocked over too." Aliya said to the other two.

"I don't suppose there is any chance they've just popped out to the shops?" Maria asked hopefully, but knowing that it was probably not the case.

"They can't of, the car's still here. Not to mention Luke and Clyde left about half an hour ago for the shops and still haven't come back. Something is definitely up." Rani said, shaking her head.

"Yeah, and the house smelt like residual energy...and the whole place feels off now. Like a disturbance of some kind," Aliya added.

"What does that mean?" Maria asked.

"It means some sort of transport or alien technology was used in there. They're not just gone, I think they've been taken."

* * *

**Reviews are always appreciated! **

**-MayFairy :)**


	16. Bronxites and Bannermen: Really Bad?

The three females silently processed the situation in their minds.

"How do we find them?" Maria asked. Aliya broke out of her thoughts and stared at Maria with indecision, though it quickly disappeared.

"There's no we," Aliya said flatly. "I'm taking you home, right now."

"What?" Maria said indignantly.

"Why? It's not like she isn't capable." Rani agreed. "She's had experience with Sarah Jane, just like me."

"I told your Dad I would keep you safe. And it's not safe anymore," Aliya said, looking into Maria's eyes, trying to show she was sorry.

"These are my best friends. You can't just expect me to go home when I know they are in danger!" Maria argued.

"Aliya, she's right. The Doctor's up there too. Imagine if someone told you that you should let someone else save him because it's too dangerous. Would you let someone stop you trying to save him because it was too dangerous?"

"That's different." Aliya said, desperately imploring them to understand. "I'm older, and I agreed…"

"But would you?" Maria asked.

"Of course not," She snapped.

"Then how can you expect me to leave?" Maria said. Aliya's expression softened.

"I guess I can't." She admitted, conceding unhappily. "Sorry. It's just been a long time since I've been responsible for a child's life. Even then I was hardly the best guardian. Far too impulsive for my own good, let alone hers..." She shook her head of the old memories. "Anyway, that was a different regeneration, and my bad one, so hopefully this new one is better at it. Let's look inside. There might be some clues, and I need to examine the disturbance, and the residual energy. Let's go." She walked back into the house and up into the attic.

"If something like that happened Mr Smith might have be able to trace it." Rani put in.

"Oh yeah," Aliya said, and grinned at the girl. "Nice thinking."

"Maria. What a pleasant surprise," He said. "Hello Aliya, Rani."

"Hi Mr Smith! Good to see you." Maria said enthusiastically.

"Mr Smith, what happened while we were gone?" Aliya asked.

"I assume that you are referring to the fact that Sarah Jane and the Doctor are missing and that Luke and Clyde have not returned yet?" The computer said.

"Yes." Aliya confirmed.

"I detected an incoming teleport signal and called out to Sarah Jane. They came into the attic and told me to attempt to neutralise the teleports. Regrettably, I was not quick enough and they were teleported away from the attic," The computer informed them.

"But surely you must have been able to get teleport co-ordinates." Rani said.

"Of course." Mr Smith said.

"If we get those co-ordinates we can enter them into the TARDIS and go straight there." Aliya finished, nodding.

"I regret to inform you that transference to the TARDIS will need a third element." The computer said.

"Perhaps I could be of service, Mr Smith?" Came a cheerful and robotic voice from the other side of the attic. The robot dog approached them. Aliya looked at him in disbelief.

"K-9!" She said excitedly, dropping to her knees and patting his head fondly.

"Mistress?" He said questioningly.

"You remember me?" She said happily, though not sure how he could.

"Affirmative, Mistress Aliya. When Master rebuilt me he placed all relevant knowledge of my previous models into my databanks, including the model that was on Gallifrey with Mistress Leela," K-9 said. "Mr Smith, upload all teleport co-ordinate data."

"So did he get out of that black hole then?" Maria asked, watching the dog with interest.

"Yeah. We found this spaceship which needed a black hole to take off, so they could leave the planet and we got K-9 back." Rani replied. "But then Luke took him with him to university. It was just lucky that Luke and K-9 are here, I suppose."

"Upload complete," K-9 said. Aliya patted him on the head.

"Good dog," She said fondly.

"Affirmative." The dog chanted.

"Come on, you," She said with a smile, and picked him up to save him the trouble of the stairs. The three of them went back to the TARDIS, and K-9 uploaded the co-ordinates into the console. "Hmmm…I'm going to guess they are on a spaceship."

"Why?" Maria asked.

"The co-ordinates. They're outside the range of the Earth, but not far enough to be another planet." The blonde replied.

"But I'm not allowed outside the range of Earth!" Rani said in a slightly panicked tone, and the other two turned their gaze onto her quickly with concern. Looking from Maria's bit lip to Aliya's frown, Rani didn't get calmer. "I'm not staying behind!" She said adamantly.

"Of course you're not!" Aliya said, resetting the co-ordinates, but saving the ones K-9 had uploaded for the next trip. "It just means we have to take a side trip." She began to operate the controls.

"So have you been to an alien planet?" Rani asked Maria. She shook her head.

"No, but I've been on a spaceship."

"I've never left Earth at all. Clyde's been in two spaceships, and he's been on an alien planet. Even if it wasn't for very long." Rani said enviously. They were interrupted by Aliya's yells of frustration as the TARDIS shook violently.

"No, no, no!" She shouted at it in exasperation. "Rani, can you grab that blue lever in front of you and keep it level? Maria, hold down those blue stabilisers." The two girls immediately did as they were told, and the TARDIS flight pattern became much smoother, with almost no turbulence at all. Aliya then found it easy to land, pressing all the necessary buttons and levers with ease and landing with almost no jolt at all.

"So are we on the spaceship?" Maria asked.

"No, side trip, remember? This is more of a space _station._" Aliya replied, and the two girls looked at each other in excitement. "Rani, you stay in the TARDIS while me and Maria go talk to some old friends of yours."

"Why do I have to stay here?" Rani said, not looking too happy about it.

"Because then they can't complain about you being here. Well, they can, but I know enough about trans-dimensional engineering to either confuse them or prove that what you're doing isn't illegal because you're sort of in a different dimension," Aliya said and led Maria out of the door, to be greeted by the standard Judoon party.

"Whoa, they're like rhinos." Maria said in surprise.

"Fro, no, mo, po…" The Judoon went off in their usual mono syllable rant. Aliya responded in English that she didn't know how to respond until they assimilated the language and began to speak in English, allowing her to convey her business. Soon they were being taken to the Shadow Architect.

"What is this place?" Maria asked, looking around with interest.

"The best way I can put it is Intergalactic Police Station." Aliya shrugged.

"And remind me why we're here?" She inquired.

"To try and get Rani, Luke and Clyde's confinement lifted," Aliya replied as they stood in front of the Architect's desk. "Maybe I'll be able to call in a favour."

"Aliya, wasn't it?" The Shadow Architect said. Aliya nodded.

"I presume everything went okay with the Sontarans?" She asked.

"As well as to be expected. We thank you for your assistance in the matter." The Architect replied.

"Sontarans?" Maria said in alarm, and Aliya realised that she must have met them before to have such a reaction.

"Who is the child?" The Architect said coolly.

"This is Maria. She's from Earth and is helping me with a spot of trouble we have wormed into."

"Trouble?" The Architect seemed wary.

"Our friends have been kidnapped. However, there is another girl with us who is forbidden to leave Earth, preventing us to go after them." Aliya explained, and the Shadow Architect raised her eyebrow.

"Forbidden?"

"She and two other humans were confined to Earth by the orders of one of your Judoon. I was going to ask, if because the Doctor and I helped you with the Sontarans, that you enable the interstellar travelling rights of our friends." Aliya proposed, and the Shadow Architect pursed her lips.

"It is possible, but I would need to know more about the situation," She said.

"The girl in question is currently in the TARDIS, if you will permit her to come out." Aliya said, and Maria couldn't help but be impressed at how official she sounded. The Shadow Architect nodded.

"I'll go get her," Maria offered, and went back to the TARDIS to get Rani.

"The thing is, that these humans have helped save their planet many times, and probably the universe as well. I'm guessing they have probably saved you a lot of work." Aliya continued.

"We'll see." The Architect said dismissively, and they waited in silence until the two girls returned. Rani was looking around the place with even more awed interest than Maria, having never been on any sort of alien structure before. The Architect eyed her with an expression unfathomable even to Aliya. "You are one of the humans that were confined to Earth by one of the Judoon authorities?"

"Yeah, I am." Rani said, nodding while looking over her interrogator.

"What transpired on the day the sentence was given?" The Architect continued, her voice more formal than before.

"Sarah Jane's computer – he's a xylok – picked up the crashing Judoon spaceship. Sarah Jane, Luke, Clyde and I went after it, because Sarah Jane had explained how their priorities worked, and we were worried that he would hurt someone. Once we figured out that he was after Androvax-" Rani started but was interrupted by the Shadow Architect not long after she begun.

"Androvax? The Veil?" She said sharply, and Rani nodded.

Aliya frowned to herself, knowing the abilities of the body-borrowing Veil people, and not liking the idea of such young humans going after one of them.

"So the Judoon officer who confined you to Earth was Captain Tybo?" The Architect clearly remembered the incident well, and Rani nodded again. "Continue."

"We knew we had to help him, because we thought that in his haste to get Androvax back he would kill or hurt someone. Androvax took over Sarah Jane's body, and we followed him, but Tybo was going to hurt Sarah Jane if he got to Androvax first, so we locked him in a special room where he couldn't call for immediate help, even though his back up was already on the way. We went after Androvax, and he captured Luke and sent Nanoforms after us, but we beat them with a fire-extinguisher, because they turn dormant at low temperatures. We went up to the spaceship that Androvax had had the Nano forms build for him, where Luke, Sarah Jane and Androvax were. I think Luke had just made some sort of deal with him, but then the Judoon arrived, and they arrested him. They had also let out Tybo. He decided that since we had helped stop Androvax he couldn't execute us, just confine us to Earth. We were just protecting our friend, because we knew we could stop him without hurting anyone," Rani finished, taking a deep breath.

"I see." The Shadow Architect said, and appeared to be deep in thought. "I believe that while your actions may not coalesce with the rules of this establishment, I believe that if the Time Lord believes you are trustworthy, that because of your help with aliens on your own planet and the help Aliya and the Doctor gave us with the Sontarans, your confinement is lifted."

The three girls grinned at each other. "Thank you very much," Aliya said with a smile.

"Yeah, thanks!" Rani added.

"Come on you too, we've got some kidnapping aliens to tell off," Aliya said, and the three of them went back to the TARDIS.

"That whole thing with the Judoon sounded interesting," Maria said lightly as Aliya brought up the saved co-ordinates and began to prepare the TARDIS for de-materialisation.

"It would have been better if the Nanoforms hadn't been eating the building, and my mum and dad happened to be there. When we got home they wouldn't stop going on about how they had seen aliens." Rani laughed.

"So do your parents know about the alien thing then?" Maria asked.

"Nah, haven't got a clue. Mum got all her memories of aliens erased later after she found out too much." Rani said with a shake of her head. The TARDIS took off, and the ride was a lot more shaky than the last due to slightly poorer piloting and lack of stabilisers.

"My dad found out after a while, obviously. My mum even knows. She took out a Sontaran with a pair of shoes," Maria said, giggling at the memory.

"Seriously?" Aliya asked, a slightly surprised and disbelieving smile on her face as she reached around the console from the other side, stretching for a button that she only just managed to press.

"Yeah. I'm never going to forget that." Maria said.

"Maybe that is what he sees in you lot. When you're not being completely thick, you humans are bloody brilliant!" Aliya said enthusiastically, laughing, but at the same time completely meaning her words.

"I _think _that was a compliment." Maria laughed.

"It was, don't worry." Aliya said absently as she pulled the TARDIS landed.

"So, outside there is a spaceship?" Rani clarified, and Aliya nodded.

"Yeah. And we don't know what, or how many aliens we are dealing with. I don't know how Sarah Jane does things, but right now we are doing things my way. You have to make sure you listen to me," Aliya told them seriously, and the two girls nodded.

"What's your way?" Maria asked, and Aliya shrugged.

"Haven't got much of a clue. I'll let you know if I figure it out, but it's early days," She said as they stepped out of the TARDIS and into a pristine but dimly lit hallway made of a shiny black metal.

"Whoa. This is…really new," Rani said, in awe but slightly afraid of her new surroundings, though she did not show it.

"Keep an eye out for a control panel of an information panel or something," said Aliya as they walked along cautiously.

"Like that?" Maria asked, pointing at a rectangle shaped black screen.

"Exactly like that," confirmed Aliya with a nod. She approached it while digging around in the pockets of her denim jacket furiously. Finally she pulled out the flimsy yellow tipped sonic screwdriver.

"Is that a sonic screwdriver, like the Doctor's?" Rani asked.

"You mean like Sarah Jane's sonic lipstick?" Maria said with interest, eyeing the bright light on the tip of the screwdriver.

"Yes, I'm borrowing it," Aliya said simply as the screen came to life. A little more fiddling and they were shown a map. More fiddling, and it showed the life forms on the ship. "There they are," Aliya pointed to a large section. "Three humans, something close to a human, and something else, which will be whoever took them."

She shut off the screen, and the three of them continued down the corridor.

"So are we just going to walk straight in?" Maria asked.

"Of course not." Aliya mumbled. "That would be suicide. But if we can at least get a look inside and see what we're dealing with…" She did not finish because although she didn't wish to admit it to the young humans who had put their faith in her, she did not have a plan. They could hear voices, and followed them, Aliya placing herself in front in case anything happened. The three of them found a door where the noise was protruding, but could not have got in even if they had planned to.

Aliya went back through her mind to remember another way from the map, and remembered that there was a platform on one of the higher levels that overlooked the room they were currently outside.

"Now what?" Rani said in fear and frustration.

"We take a different route." Aliya said simply, and turned around to lead them back the way they had come. She came to a lift of some kind, used the sonic to open and activate it, taking them to the level they needed to find out what was going on.

"Does anyone else think it's weird that we haven't run into anyone yet?" Rani said with a frown.

"It did cross my mind," admitted Aliya, "But frankly, in a ship this size you can never quite be sure where the inhabitants normally are, and where they leave most of it to the machinery. We're either very lucky, or closer to the automatically running parts of the ship."

"Oh," said Rani and Maria. The lift opened, thankfully silently compared to the annoying pinging noises that often accompanied the opening of lift doors on Earth. Aliya followed her slightly more sensitive ears, and soon Maria and Rani could hear the voice as well. They came to what seemed to be some sort of observation deck, and looked down on the room below.

The front of it was bathed in light, and there stood a dark green humanoid creature with long horn that sloped backwards down past his neck, a little like goat horns. He was muscular – incredibly so – and tall, probably about seven feet. He wore plain black clothing, a sleeveless tunic that showed off his hulking arms, and loose black leggings that reached the floor, while he wore no shoes. He was watching his four prisoners with satisfaction clearly painted on his face.

There were four wooden boards that were on a thirty degrees backwards incline from being vertical. On the far left one – and the one closest to the females watching from above – was Luke, looking angry and confused, but also a little dazed. Clyde, who was next in the line, was also looking tired.

"Look here, buddy. You can't just kidnap us off our own planet," He said angrily.

"Arguing about ethics is going to get you nowhere, human. Soon we shall have what we came for," The green man said in a bored tone. "And once we do, the Bronxites shall have infinite power, ready to take what we wish, fight whom we choose without fear of defeat. We shall be all powerful." His voice was deep and rich, full of authority.

"Not exactly original, is he?" Aliya muttered, and the other two couldn't help but agree.

"What I want to know, is why us?" Sarah Jane asked angrily from the far right end. Aliya noticed that all four of them had thin silver bands around their heads, and wondered what sinister use they had. "Out of the entire planet, why us?"

"Blame your friend for that," Grumbled the Bronxite, and the Doctor – who was between Sarah Jane and Clyde - raised his head to look him in the eye. He looked more awake and aware than the others.

"I'm guessing you mean me," He said, but it lacked his usual energy, making Aliya uncomfortable and worried for him.

"Yes. You were the one that caught our attention. The others are merely here because they were in your presence. Though I must admit," The Bronxite said, shifting his gaze to Luke. "This one seems to have more in him than we thought. What a pleasant surprise."

"You stay away from him!" Sarah Jane yelled, fighting the straps that held her to the board.

"Mum, I'll be fine…" Luke argued, but yawned, fatigue written on his features.

Aliya turned her head away, having seen enough. Rani walked out before she did, but Maria took one more look before walking away.

"That was horrible!" Rani said, and the other two did not have to voice their agreement for Rani to know they had it. "What are we going to do? Please tell me you have a plan, because I think this is a bit out of our depth." Aliya's eyes were thoughtful, but not blank.

"I've got a small idea. A tiny possibility. Not a proper plan, but it's a start." She said finally, and they off down the corridor again, Aliya scanning everything with the sonic screwdriver until she found what she was looking for. Sonicking the edges so that the black box opened to reveal the small panel inside, Aliya smiled to herself, liking how her idea was going so far.

"What is that?" Maria asked curiously, but there was an edge to her voice that confused Aliya.

"It's a databank, if I used the sonic to tweak the system, we might find out what they're channelling through those headsets." Aliya explained, but when she turned around Maria was shaking her head, and it appeared that Rani knew what Maria meant.

"No, what's _that_?" Maria insisted, pointing at the silver circular band, the circumference of which was enclosed around the outside edges of the square panel.

"It's one of those headsets that Sarah Jane and the others were wearing. Did you say they were channelling something through them?" Rani realised, looking at the band in disgust.

"That's what I thought. It was the only thing they could have been using." Aliya said, her new uncertainty not helping the confidence of her counterparts. She began to use her sonic on the system again, still looking for what she wanted to know. The headset came free and she took it out, eyeing it with wary interest. There was nothing to it that suggested its function. She slowly put it on her head, trying to figure it out. When nothing happened, she shrugged and went to take it off again.

But it wouldn't budge. No matter how she tugged, it was stuck sitting on her hair, the silver band running across the top of her forehead. She smiled grimly.

"Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse."

"So what's it going to do to you?" Maria asked with concern.

"Probably what it's doing to them. I suspect we'll find out soon." Aliya replied.

"So how are we going to save them?" Rani asked, and then added as an afterthought, "and you, for that matter."

"We'll come up with something," Aliya said.

"Something? Let me guess, you haven't got there yet." Maria guessed with a fond smile despite the situation.

"You guessed correct." Aliya admitted, frowning. "Maybe if I just sit down and think properly, something will come." She stayed sitting on the floor, fiddling with the sonic screwdriver while she kept her eyes closed in concentration.

Maria and Rani watched the woman. They had only met her that day, and their lives - and quite probably that of their friends too - were in her hands.

All three females jumped at a voice that seemed to appear out of nowhere.

"Hello? Anybody there?" It sounded male, and when Aliya was broken from her train of thought to jerk her head in the direction of the sound, she saw nothing, as it had come from around the corner.

"Run!" Aliya said urgently, leaping up and grabbing both of the girls' hands. They took off in the opposite direction of the voice.

"Run? Whoever you are, I'm not going to hurt you, regardless of what you might think." The voice said, and due to the footsteps behind them the females realised he was following them. Though Aliya couldn't ignore the nagging feeling in her mind that was telling her the voice was familiar. They stopped momentarily for the girls to catch their breath, all of them turned in the direction they had been running from, watching for the owner of the voice. "Really, I'd like to help actually, seeing as you sound as if you are in trouble."

"Can we trust him?" Maria asked, and Aliya shook her head.

"Maybe he is trustworthy. But we can't risk it. The odds are against us, and I promised I would keep you safe. Come on," She said, but as they turned around they noticed a figure coming around the corner of their intended path. As soon as they could see her clearly, Aliya froze in shock, her screwdriver clattering to the ground, forgotten.

The woman looked only a little older than Aliya herself. She had long ebony hair that contrasted with her pale skin and the royal blue dress that was so expertly cut Aliya knew of only one place where it could have come from. The dress was long sleeved and the waistline settled on the woman's hips, the skirt flowing but not sticking out. The bodice was slightly lighter than the skirt and sleeves, and had a simple off the shoulder neckline that the sleeves continued from.

Her face was delicate and pretty, her mouth fuller than Aliya's, and her nose different. Her right eye was gold and the other light blue, both of them bright. In general she was rather stunning, and Maria and Rani stared between her and Aliya, completely confused.

"Excuse me, but would you be able to tell me where I am?" She asked politely, looking confused and more than a little bit worried.

"No…" Aliya whispered to herself, dread filling her, and annoyingly, also nostalgia. The woman took this as an answer to her question, even though had not been one.

"I guess that you are lost like me then." She smiled kindly before stepping forward holding out her hand politely. I'm-"

"Aliyanadevoralundar." Aliya breathed, and disbelief crossed the other woman's face. "The fourth." The black-haired beauty studied the blonde closely, lingering on the eyes, and comprehension began to dawn on her face.

"Rassilon," She whispered, "You're-"

"Number Eight. Though in a way I'm Six. It's complicated, as you will find out," Aliya finished for her, and they both laughed nervously before staring at each other solemnly, knowing how dangerous it was for two different regenerations to meet. Suddenly they both broke into absurd grins. Maria and Rani shared looks of complete and utter bewilderment.

"Do you two know each other?" Rani asked, looking between the two of them.

"One could say that," The black-haired woman said.

"Okay, Rani, you've met two different versions of the Doctor before, right?" Aliya said, and Rani nodded. "Well, imagine both of them in one place at the same time, standing next to each other. Then transfer the idea to say, me. We're the same person." Maria and Rani looked at the other woman in a new light.

"So, you're both Aliya." Maria said slowly.

"Yes," Aliya said, and turned to her younger self, "But can we call you Ali, to avoid confusion?"

"Sure," Ali replied with a smile. "Is the Doctor here?"

"We're sort of trying to rescue him and Sarah Jane, Luke and Clyde." Rani explained.

"Sarah Jane? Really?" Ali said with interest. The other three nodded as a crucial matter hit Aliya's mind.

"Oh, and Maria, Rani? You can't tell her anything. Don't say anything about my past to her. If she has to know anything, I'll do the talking." She said, and they nodded.

"Well you seemed to have stopped, which is good, because I was getting tired of all the running." Said the strange voice from before, and everyone except Ali wore worried looks, but it was too late, he had come around the corner. Ali looked at him with pleasant surprise.

"Theta?" She said, and he frowned.

"I would rather you didn't call me that, Ali. We're not children anymore." He said irritably.

"Oh, you love it." Ali teased, and he smirked.

"Keep thinking that if you will." He said dismissively, for the first time looking over the newcomers, just as they looked over him.

He was quite short, with a white, colonial style Panama hat. His hair was short and dark. He wore a blazer covered in question marks, and a white shirt and red scarf underneath. His trousers were brown and red tartan, and his coat a yellowed white safari jacket, and he carried an umbrella with a question-marked handle.

"Doctor?" Aliya said. If she had been worried and confused before, it was nothing compared to she felt now.

"Aliya, is that you? I can't tell, you've got something dark wrapped around you, it's obscuring the psychic link," He said, looking her over.

"Yeah, it's me. Future me. Quite a way in the future me," Aliya said with a smile, a less rational part of her rather happy to see him.

"That's the Doctor?" Maria said, half confused, half awed.

"One of them," Aliya replied, not taking her eyes off him. "This one is quite a way into your past. I'd say he's got about another three hundred years until he meets you, but I'm guessing."

"Do those two travel with me? They look a bit young for it." The Doctor said, looking over them.

"No, they're just friends." Aliya said.

"Well, I suppose it's good to know I'll have friends in three hundred years then," He said with slight sarcasm. Aliya smiled, and then became grave once more, the gravity of the situation hitting her again. Rani and Maria noticed this.

"What's wrong?" Rani asked her.

"Everything." Aliya said seriously. "There's two Aliya's, and there's two Doctor's. Time Lords don't meet each other except in the gravest of emergencies. I wouldn't exactly say this qualifies. You remember before how I said I hadn't thought it could get any worse, and then I got this on my head?" She pointed to the silver band on her head.

"Yeah." Maria said.

"Well, things just got a hundred times worse."


	17. Bronxites and Bannermen: Not Just Memory

Aliya looked at the four people that were staring at her with various expressions, not liking the situation one bit.

"Am I to understand that a future incarnation of myself is also here?" The Doctor said.

"Yes, and he's in trouble. He's been captured by a race called the Bronxites, along with three others, one of whom is Sarah Jane. Have you ever heard of them?" Aliya asked and he shook his head.

"Unfortunately, in all my travels I have not encountered them."

"I feel like I should know," Aliya said, biting her lip.

"As do I, from the Academy." Ali frowned. They looked at each other. "Parasite?" Ali guessed, and something sparked in her older self's eyes.

"Yes! But of what?" She faced the wall and pressed her head against it, closing her eyes to try and remember more.

"Not the pacing type then?" The Doctor said.

"Apparently not. Body is still relatively new," Aliya mumbled into the wall, before turning away from it to look between the two figures from the past. "What I don't understand is how you two are here. Unless you both travelled to the same point in time by complete co-incidence – and somehow I seriously doubt it – you were somehow sent here, which is impossible, because no one has that amount of energy."

"The Time Lords. They've done it before, who's to say they aren't doing it this time?" Ali suggested, and the Seventh Doctor privately agreed, though thought nodding might seem a little strange.

"They're not." Aliya deflected flatly, and the Doctor raised an eyebrow.

"Oh really? And how can you be so sure?" He said with slight irritation.

"I just am. You need to trust me when I say they can't have done it." She said, ignoring the small stab of pain in her heart, and fleetingly thought one day she was going to regret keeping her emotions about losing her planet and people bottled up.

"She's right," Rani put in, wanting to help, "It can't have been the Time Lords."

"If not them, then who?" He said, and of course Rani had no answer. However she was saved from answering by the sound of two new voices. The three Time Lords all stiffened, recognising them.

"Ali, just listen-"

"Luna."

"Luna, I haven't done anything, I'm just as in the dark as you are, which means we have to work together-"

"Stay away from me, Celery!"

"Reduced to name calling have we now? You know, I thought you were better than that, Ali, and you think yourself so grown up now-"

"Says the one who barely looks like an adult! And stop calling me that!"

The two Aliya's exchanged looks of amusement and embarrassment, doing their best to hide what was actually panic. As they expected – and so had the Doctor, for that matter – the two bickering figures came around the corner and stopped in surprise.

The woman – the one with the considerably angrier voice – was tall with a rich brown bob and familiar different coloured eyes that were filled with equally familiar anger. She was curvy with an hourglass figure, and looked rather intimidating in her black leather motorcycle jacket and army boots.

The man looked younger and more amiable, with blonde hair and a piece of celery on his lapels of his beige coat. The question marks on his clothing were very similar to that of the other man, one who was eyeing him with a sort of remembrance.

He looked at the older man, and understanding was brought swiftly to him, and he sighed.

"Oh dear," He said, frowning. The brunette looked between him and the other man, and scowled.

"Oh Rassilon," She said, "Now I have to put up with two of you."

"Actually, there's another one," Aliya said sheepishly, and the steely gaze that could make almost anyone afraid was turned to her.

"And who are you?" She asked, her voice full of venom. She studied Aliya, and the object of the scrutiny saw understanding and shock flash across her eyes before it was replaced by a scowl once more. "Oh brilliant."

"So she is then. She's you." The Fifth Doctor said. He looked between Ali and Aliya before resting his gaze on the latter.

"Hello Doctor," She said with a small smile, nostalgia setting in, as she missed the cheery celery-wearing incarnation.

"You look…urm…very well," He said slightly awkwardly, and Aliya smiled at him, wanting to hug him tightly because _dear lord she missed him _but thoughts of her current relationship with his most recent successor kept her at bay.

"So do you, but then, you always did," She replied. He nodded, and his eyes shifted to Ali, who was eyeing him with badly disguised guilt. They both opened their mouths to speak, when someone else did instead.

"If you're done with the small talk, I wouldn't mind finding out what is going on," Luna drawled, examining her nails.

"Aliya, is that the version of you that met Sarah Jane?" Rani asked, looking at the woman with interest and quickly averting her gaze when met by an annoyed scowl.

"Aliya met Sarah Jane when she was like that?" Maria asked, not liking how the regeneration in question was glaring at them.

"Yes," Aliya said thoughtfully. She quickly gave Luna a summary of the situation, disliking the tiny feeling of drowsiness in the back of her mind.

"Do you think this is a surprise exam?" Came a new voice, and the group of Time Lords and humans all exchanged frightened looks.

"Hard to say, isn't it? I suppose we just keep walking until we find someone or something. Though I am glad to find you. I was getting quite worried walking around on my own." Said another, and Aliya leant against the wall and shut her eyes, sliding down until she was mostly supported by the wall.

"More of us," She said quietly, "The originals, I think." The group waited until the two newcomers were in sight, and it was confirmed, with both of them wearing the standard Academy uniform, the girl's an elegant dress of purple and white colours that showed she was a member of the House Arpexia, while the boy's standard robes were the red and gold of Lungbarrow.

The girl's hair was light gold and fell in curly ringlets all the way down her back without the usual support of a headpiece. Her eyes were bright and curious as she took in the strange surroundings and company.

The boy had dark hair and green eyes full of vibrant life, and his hair was messily cropped around his head.

The two youngsters both looked at the other people staring at them with familiarity, and both looked incredibly shocked.

"You're…us," The young Aliya breathed in disbelief, while Theta just looked over the two strangely dressed men sceptically.

Aliya made a pained moaning sound, and Rani and Maria rushed over to her, glad for a reason not to stand around. "Aliya? Are you okay?" Maria asked, but Aliya didn't answer.

"What's wrong with her?" Aliya's youngest incarnation frowned worryingly at her oldest self.

"It's not just us. It's everyone, we're all coming, I can feel it. Alright, um...until everyone is here, we do nothing, and we won't explain the situation until then," Aliya said, and the Fifth Doctor and Seventh Doctor exchanged looks.

"By everyone, do you mean, you and I? All of our incarnations?" The younger asked her, and she nodded.

"Can't you feel it?" She whispered, and he shook his head.

The next twenty minutes were slow, and Aliya couldn't help but feel slightly weaker by the end of its passing. All the pre-Time War incarnations of herself and the Doctor had arrived, (except for the Eighth Doctor) but no more. They were all utterly bemused as to how they had gotten there. She decided that they had waited long enough, and got them to stand in two chronological lines, with a row of her previous incarnations in front and another row containing the Doctor's behind them.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" A new and awaited voice was soon followed by the appearance of the missing Doctor in Victorian dress, and he quickly joined his line under Aliya's instruction.

"Okay, I can see this getting complicated _very _quickly," Aliya said, looking at the twelve people in front of her while the two girls beside looked on in disbelief. "I'm electing myself in charge." Half of the Doctors – specifically, Two, Six, Seven and Three- and Aliya's third incarnation opened their mouths to protest, but she wasn't standing for it.

"Because…" she continued, "I'm the oldest. Well, one of the oldest." They opened their mouths again. "Well...because I am currently travelling with the most recent Doctor and I have the best idea of what is going on. So hush and just listen." Reluctantly, they complied. "To avoid confusion, identification shall be as follows. Doctors, you shall be numbers, except for you," She pointed to the youthful young Time Lord who had not yet graduated from the Academy and frankly had no idea what was going on, but clearly found it incredibly exciting, "You can be Theta. I know numbers are degrading, but they'll work. As for me, it will go like this."

She had previously placed them in chronological order, and her finger moved down the line, starting with her original incarnation.

"Vora. The Angel. Luna. Ali. I get to be Aliya because I'm in charge," Aliya said, and although Vora didn't look to happy about going back to the name she hadn't used since she was six, she said nothing.

"Now, has anyone got a plan?"

"Rescue our future self and company, while figuring out what we are all doing here?" Six drawled sarcastically, and Luna her head around to roll her eyes at him.

"Thank you, Doctor Obvious. We were having so much trouble with that part." She said scathingly, with equal sarcasm.

"As uncooperative as ever, I see, Luna." He replied coolly, and she chose to ignore him.

"I think the best way might be to cause a distraction. There's so many of us, it shouldn't be hard," Eight suggested pleasantly, and Aliya nodded, liking the plan..

"But we need to make sure we don't leave some of us unprotected. Theta, you go with him," Aliya said, pointing to Eight, "Because he knows what he's doing. Two and Seven, Three and Six, Four and Five. Got it?" They all nodded and looked at the other person they had been allocated to work with, the older in each pair with familiarity and the younger in each pair with curiosity.

"What about us?" Vora asked.

"As for myselves – dear Rassilon, personal pronouns really do go out the window with this bloody human language don't they? – We're less experienced with this sort of thing and therefore need to be in larger groups. You three stay together," Aliya pointed to her first three incarnations, "Luna can keep an eye on you, she's good at this sort of thing." Luna smiled at Aliya genuinely, surprising both of them. "Ali, you come with me and the girls. Any questions?"

"Yes, actually," Four said, "What exactly are we doing in these groups?"

"You'll be spreading out around the ship and stretching the Bronxite forces thin, giving us a chance to infiltrate the chamber where the Doctor and the others are being held. Try not to get killed, as I am very fond of the Doctor I currently travel with and would not appreciate him being wiped from existence. My group, to me, the rest of you get to it. There's some data banks that are accessible if you need a map to tell you where to go. Just make sure you spread out." Aliya instructed, and the group quickly dissipated, leaving her with Rani, Maria and Ali.

"That was crazy." Maria laughed.

"Not just crazy. Horribly wrong." Aliya frowned deeply.

"It's hard to believe that all of those guys were the Doctor," Rani said, shaking her head, "And all those women were you. You all act so different."

"When we regenerate, every single cell of our body is replaced. Any similarities are just chance." Ali said, shrugging. Regeneration was a concept she had been brought up with, and did not find it so strange. If anything, she found the idea of having one heart and no regeneration abilities fascinating, but also restricting.

"I don't see it like that," Aliya said thoughtfully, and her younger self raised an eyebrow. "Well, not exactly. Obviously you can't argue with science, but similarities aren't chance. We may look different, and we may act a bit different, but deep down we don't change that much. Look at the Doctor. He's the same as he always was: caring, a renegade, completely eccentric, and at least a little bit arrogant. Not to mention a magnet for trouble."

"Yes, well, you're right about that part." Ali agreed, and they both giggled.

"Speaking of the Doctor…maybe – I mean it's just an idea – we could rescue him now?" Rani suggested with slight sarcasm, a raised eyebrow and a small smile, and her words got a giggle out of Maria. The two incarnations of the same Time Lady looked slightly surprised before turning to embarrassment, with the blonde one nodding.

"I suppose if we _have _to," She said with equal sarcasm and sighed dramatically before smirking. The four of them proceeded to take the path that three of them had already followed once before, the one that led to the observation platform of the chamber where their friends were being held.

"So since when do we wear twenty first century Earth fashion?" Ali asked Aliya, and Aliya had to think about it, not sure of how to answer, as she couldn't tell her the exact truth.

"What can I say," She said casually, shrugging her shoulders, "I happen to really love these denim jeans. They're comfy. And that dress must get annoying at times like these."

"I'm definitely going to have to make some adjustments as soon as I get back to Gallifrey. It's not going to be easy to fight Daleks in these." Ali said, and Aliya's stomach twisted at the thought, knowing the darkness that lay ahead of her, having already experienced it. "I could take Romana's advice and put leggings underneath and then slits on the slide. After spending all that time with the Doctor, she's good at that sort of thing."

"Yeah," Aliya said with a small smile, and looked away as it was replaced by the pain of loss. She quickly composed herself in time to look over the platform which they had arrived at.

"Wow. The Doctor's back to being really young again, huh?" Ali said, and chuckled slightly. "Sarah Jane…she's grown up. But those things, the silver rings around their heads, what are they?" Ali asked, eyeing the four people who were trapped in the dismal room, lit with artificial light, leaving the corners dark.

"I think they're the key to whatever the Bronxites are doing," Aliya guessed, "Either way, they're bad news."

"You're wearing one," Ali noted with concern, "I never gave it a second thought until now." Aliya turned away from the room they were looking at to face her younger self.

"I know, I put it on thinking it was dysfunctional, and now I can't get it off." She said in annoyance, but at herself rather than with whom she was speaking.

"Do you feel any different?" Ali asked her, and Rani and Maria looked at the blonde with concern.

"No," Aliya said, too quickly, and Ali's eyes narrowed. She took the other woman by the shoulders and rotated her to face her, and studied her face carefully, taking in the slight weariness about her.

"Liar. I can see that there is something wrong with you. It's the band, isn't it? It's doing something to you." Ali said, and Aliya took off the other woman's hands from her shoulders, determination in her eyes.

"Maybe it has! I don't know, and frankly, I haven't got time to worry about it," Aliya said, looking a bit agitated. "We've all got to use this time the others are buying us to investigate and figure out what the Bronxites are doing so we can fix it and help the others get free." She ran her hands over the silver band in desperate frustration.

"Well then let's stop wasting time and get moving," Rani replied, and the four of the set off in the direction of the door to the room where their friends were being held. It was huge, over twice as tall as any of them, and all of them felt small standing next to it. Aliya pointed her sonic at it, and frowned when there was no effect. She scanned it, only to find the room was deadlocked.

"He must have deadlocked it when he left," Aliya murmured.

"What does that mean?" Rani asked, and Maria was able to answer through her past experience with Sarah Jane.

"It means she can't open it with the sonic," She explained, and Rani frowned in thought.

"Then what are we going to do?" She said.

"We could probably override it from the central control room, but it will be dangerous trying to get there. You girls will stay here and Ali and I will go." Aliya said, and the two teenagers began to protest. "I promised to keep you safe, so you are going to stay here."

"We're not children!" Rani said angrily.

"No, you're young women," Ali said, "But we need you here, because we need you to go back up to the observation deck and keep an eye on Sarah Jane, and the Doctor, and those two boys." Aliya threw a grateful look to her younger self and nodded solemnly.

"Because whether you like it or not, I'm responsible for the both of you, and if anything happens to either of you, Sarah Jane will have my head. So you go back to the observation deck and stay here. Keep out of sight, and don't do anything stupid. We'll be back soon," Aliya told them, and they nodded. The four of them returned to the observation deck, but Aliya and Ali continued on, running through the twisting corridors in search of a (hopefully empty) control room where they could override the deadlock.

"Those girls are too brave for their own good," Ali said.

"Humans are like that, I suppose. The ones that get involved with the Doctor, anyway. Or so I've noticed."

"You make it sound as though you do this a lot," Ali noted, and Aliya shrugged, coming to a stop in front of a door with a finger pad far too large to fit her own. She ran the sonic along the circumference and the door slid open.

"I haven't done too much of it yet, but I probably will be. The Doctor is a magnet for trouble. Apart from a run-in with some Sontarans a couple of weeks back, I actually haven't done too much running for my life yet," Aliya replied, entering the control room and making a beeline for the matrix that would release the deadlock.

It was a delicate process, as they didn't have the recognised identification, therefore, there were a huge amount of firewalls the sonic had to break through. Aliya leaned against the wall, lazily pointing the sonic at the control board while Ali watched her with a kind of unfathomable fascination.

"What?" Aliya asked her, and Ali looked sheepish.

"It's just…you did it," She said, looking strangely pleased.

"Did what?" Aliya said in confusion.

"Left Gallifrey and went travelling with the Doctor. Again. And you seem to be handling it fine."

Realising that it must seem surprising to the version of herself who had once attempted the same thing but eventually found it all too much to handle, Aliya bit her lip as she tried to figure out how to answer. "It's different somehow. This body was...sort of born from freedom, and I'm braver now, stronger. He's worth what comes with it."

"He always was," Ali's eyes were sad, "But I still couldn't do it."

"Not then. But it won't always be like that."

Ali smiled softly, thinking of the Doctor from her timeline, the one who was going to brave the Time War with her, and her heart panged. "I just hope I'll get the chance."

"There's always a chance," Aliya assured her, though knew that this regeneration would not get it.

"Not always," Ali said quietly. "Tomorrow, the biggest war in all of creation is going to start, and millions of people are going to die."

"I'm sorry, really, I am." Aliya replied, and her eyes showed the truth in her words. "So, is that where you are in your timeline? The war starts tomorrow?"

Her other self nodded. "The Doctor's just left." An understanding passed between them, but Aliya shifted her gaze to the ground, her cheeks slightly pink, "They've…they've brought the Master back. And I'm scared, I'm so, so scared." Ali said, and Aliya could see tears gathering at her eyes. It was unnerving to see Ali so vulnerable, when normally she had let no one see her like this, only the Doctor, the one time.

"I'm sorry," Aliya said again, and tried to ignore the feeling of uselessness that was beginning to overshadow her. What could she say? _Everything's going to be alright? _She couldn't lie, not to herself. Not about something like the Time War.

Not about the loss of Romana, and the very world she had grown up in.

Ali was properly crying. "I know we can't talk about the future, but I need _something_." She said, her eyes pleading with Aliya for reassurance, but Aliya did nothing but watch her with a stony expression. "I need you to tell me that everything is going to be fine. That Romana is going to be fine, and that the Time Lords stop the Daleks once and for all. Because I'm scared. I'm even scared for Koschei. I'm scared of him, but I don't know if I want him to die, because after everything he's done, there's still a tiny part of me that-" She couldn't get the words out, because there were no words, but her counterpart understood all too well.

The seriousness ran between them, the seriousness that always came with the thoughts of the Master. The two sets of different coloured eyes exchanged knowing glances before looking away.

It was silent for a few moments until Ali spoke again. "But he isn't as important right now. I need you to tell me that the Doctor is going to be okay." The last sentence was a whisper, and the pain that filled it hung in the air, along with the meaning and emotion behind it. Aliya crossed the room – the screwdriver lay forgotten on the control board – and wrapped her arms comfortingly around her younger self, and whispered the only words of comfort she could.

"The Doctor is here, now. He lived, and that's all I can or need to say." She pulled away not long after, needing to get back to the screwdriver before something went wrong with it. The firewalls now down, it did not take long for the sonic to shut down the deadlock.

"Did it work?" Ali asked, her tears now wiped away. No one would know of the emotional moment and memories that had passed between the two of them.

"Yeah, we can get in now. We can save the Doctor."


	18. Bronxites and Bannermen: The Living Past

The two incarnations of the same Time Lady ran down the many corridors as fast as they could without the younger one tripping over her dress. Suddenly the older stopped with a groan of pain.

"What is it?" Ali asked her, halting and rushing back.

"Now that us and the Doctors have started showing ourselves, the Bronxites will know that we're on the ship. I'm guessing the first thing they did was check if any of the head bands had been removed, and when they found that one had, they've boosted its power from the original default so that whatever it was doing before is now getting done more efficiently, which is very bad," Aliya replied, closing her eyes to try and adjust.

"We can't slow down," Ali reminded her, and wove her hand through Aliya's, pulling her back into a run.

Rani and Maria were thoroughly relieved to see the two women when they returned, though were slightly worried about the blonde, who looked like she was struggling a little.

"We've shut down the deadlock. We can get to Sarah Jane now." As she knew they would, those words were all it took for the two teenagers to discard any other thoughts and hurry as fast as the other two down to the colossal door. With one click of the sonic screwdriver the door opened, much to Aliya's relief.

They ran inside, all feeling the slight strangeness of finally being inside the room they had been looking into. Aliya and Ali ran to the Doctor, while the humans checked on Sarah Jane and the boys first.

"So this is your Doctor," Ali mused with interest, examining the details she had not been able to see before, "He's quite handsome."

"Don't go there. Please, don't," Aliya said. Her younger self wouldn't understand, but those comments were just...the opposite of helpful. After all, the Doctor had lived all those years before rescuing her, and had quite a few companions in that time. The way he had talked of Rose made her ever so slightly curious as to how he had truly felt about the human girl. And then, River Song. Only an idiot would deny the relationship there, and the utter fascination in the Doctor's eyes when he looked at the archaeologist.

Which made any less than platonic thoughts about the Doctor suddenly _very _inappproriate.

"Sorry," Ali said, frowning, understandably confused.

"Doctor, can you hear me? It's Aliya." Aliya said, and was thoroughly relieved when his eyes fluttered open. He looked between the two women who were on either side of him and closed his eyes again with a groan.

"Hallucinations, just what I need," He muttered, but Aliya pinched him hard on the neck, forcing him to open his eyes again.

"You're not hallucinating. Our other selves are here. All of us before the Time War," Ali consoled him, and his eyes regarded her warily.

"How do you know about the Time War?" He asked in alarm. "What has she told you?"

"She hasn't told me anything. For me the war is tomorrow. You've just left, and I went to sleep. That's the last thing I remember. I just woke up here." Ali assured him, and the topic of the Doctor having been with her before the war caused the three of them to share knowing glances, before the Doctor and Aliya met each other's eyes, and Aliya ducked her head and blushed while he coughed pointedly.

"Yes, anyway, back to me being trapped," He said, and his eyes travelled to Sarah Jane and the two girls standing by her anxiously. "What are they doing here? I can tell by the movement under us that we're on some sort of ship, but why did you bring them?"

"Well I couldn't just leave them behind," Aliya said irritably, "They wouldn't let me."

"Scan Sarah Jane and the others before you do anything else," The Doctor said. "Are they alright?" Aliya hastily went over to stand by Rani to scan the unconscious Sarah Jane.

"Why won't she wake up?" Rani asked, sounding upset. "The Doctor did!"

"The Doctor is a Time Lord, and the others are human. We can't just assume something is wrong from something as fickle as that." Aliya told her, but was paying more attention to Sarah Jane and the screwdriver. "She's unconscious. Signs of unnatural fatigue…"

"Check the others and then me." The Doctor told her, and she complied, to find the same results on the other two humans. The Doctor's results were rather different.

"These readings don't make sense. It's like you're missing a lot of yourself, but physically you aren't nearly as fatigued as the others." Aliya muttered, but the Doctor seemed to be able to make more sense of it.

"No surprises there, all the pre Time War incarnations, did you say? That's not good, it means I've only got two left before they get to me." He said quietly, looking troubled. He absently fought against his restraints and gave up after one pull, knowing he hadn't a chance of breaking them.

"What do you mean?" Ali asked him, looking at the familiar but new man.

"The headsets, they channel the energy." The Doctor explained, and Aliya looked up sharply from the screwdriver, realising she was about to find out the answer to the question that had been nagging in the back of her mind almost since the start of when she had arrived on the spaceship.

"What energy?" She pressed him.

"The life energy. They drain the life energy out of you using the headsets. You've got one on too." The Doctor noticed, and suddenly looked concerned.

"I know," Aliya said with gritted teeth.

"Why did you put it on? Do you just pick things up and decide to put them on your head? Now you've put yourself in danger too!" He said angrily, but they could all hear the genuine concern underneath.

"I thought it wasn't functional!" Aliya snapped, and he frowned.

"Oh, well that makes it alright then," He retorted sarcastically. When Ali coughed, he realised that arguing could wait. "So your old incarnations are here too – hello there by the way - which makes sense because you are wearing the headset. You've only got one left before it gets to you. There is some connection to how much life energy has been drained out of us and the fact our previous incarnations are somehow here. You can't get us out until you turn off and reverse the machine that is draining us. I'm sorry Aliya, Rani, Maria. It's up to you now," The Doctor said apologetically before his eyes shut again. Aliya bit her lip thoughtfully.

"How did he know my name?" Maria asked, looking at the man who she had heard about for so long.

"I told him," Aliya said before wincing slightly as the power of the head band heightened for a moment for returning to normal. A dark shadow appeared next to her, and the four humanoids stepped back. For a moment, Aliya was confused, but an odd feeling in her stomach helped her understand. She had regenerated three times in the mountain if she included her regeneration at the very beginning. But the void inside had somehow absorbed them - those lives had never been a part of the universe. Hence, the shadow.

Aliya stared at where it had been with grim determination. "We've got to keep going." She said firmly, and took Ali – who had frozen - by the hand. Rani and Maria took one more confused look at the spot where the shadow had been and followed Ali and Aliya, the latter of whom was trying to reassure the former.

"What was that?" The dark haired woman asked warily.

"Incarnation number five, probably, or what's left of it."

"I don't understand."

"You know that I can't explain." Aliya replied sadly, and her other self reluctantly nodded. "Now, I took a scan of the machine, so my screwdriver should be able to lead us to where we can reverse the drain."

"Then we need to go, because frankly, you're not looking too good." Maria said, looking Aliya over.

"Will everyone stop worrying about me? I'm fine." Aliya insisted, walking away from them in the direction her screwdriver was pointing her to because she knew they would follow her. They were able to catch up when she stopped abruptly, another shadow appearing before disappearing off down the corridor.

"Was that-" Aliya didn't give her younger self a chance to finish, and nodded.

"Six down, one to go." She said, but it only made her more determined. "We have to be quicker. The moment it gets to me I'll be no use, and once my life energy has been fully drained I'm sure that you and the others will disappear. I haven't worked out why you are here but it has to be linked to these-" She pointed to the headband before continuing to run down the hallways, "-and the Bronxites. We were close to working it out before. They are parasites just like we remembered they were, parasites of life. And if we don't stop them they'll kill the Doctor, Sarah Jane, Clyde, Luke, and they'll be able to kill anyone on Earth. According to the screwdriver the control room we are looking for is located in the other half of the ship. We're going to have to run as faster than we've ever run."

The four of them sprinted harder than they could ever remember doing previously, and after about ten minutes of running they heard sounds not far off that caused them to halt in alarm before rushing to duck out of sight in the small nooks and crannies provided by the ship's corridor design, with concave triangular pieces of metal sloping up from the floor to the wall.

While they tried to control their heavy breathing Ali and Aliya used the slightly stronger hearing that the Time Lord physiology provided for them to distinguish what was inevitably coming in their direction. It was a voice.

"What do we do?" Rani whispered urgently.

Aliya handed her the sonic screwdriver and shot her a look of confidence. "You three double back, find another way to the control room. I'll meet you there."

"What?!"

"Please." She looked at the three of them imploringly. Eventually her other self nodded and began to lead the teenagers away. As they left, Aliya took a deep breath and stood up, heading towards the voice that was getting closer. She couldn't explain it, she just knew that it wasn't dangerous. She had to find it.

A minute later, she rounded a corner and walked into something solid yet somewhat soft. Under her hands was leather, and in front of her eyes was fine wool. Through it, she could feel warmth. Warmth of another body. But who -

Aliya looked up into the face of the Doctor. By the description she had heard...Jack's Doctor. The first after the war. All thought left her because here was a Doctor she had never seen, never met...who had never known her. And she couldn't help but stare. His short dark hair, his piercing pale blue eyes, the pronounced ears Jack had mentioned, the leather...and the adjective Jack had used to describe him had been rather accurate, she had to admit.

While her hands clutched his forearms, his were on her upper arms. He stared down at her, first with surprise, but he must have recognised her because it was the only thing that explained the inexplicable shock on his face that replaced it in the matter of a second. Under his eyes, she suddenly felt self-conscious. He was looking at her like he had never seen anything more unexpected or welcome. And the emotion in them...she didn't know whether to cry because her own Doctor had never looked at her like that, or blush because it reminded her of things past that should have been long since forgotten. _  
_

"Aliya?" He said, her name alien yet wonderful coming from his lips.

She nodded and smiled - an odd smile because _what on Gallifrey was she supposed to feel or say?, _but a smile nonetheless. "Hello," She said breathily.

"Impossible." He didn't however, complain. Quite the opposite.

His hands pulled her closer to him and before she knew it, his lips were against hers. Forcefully, desperately, passionately...he held her in place, slightly on her toes, as he kissed the rationality out of her. Because she _really _shouldn't have been kissing him because it was wrong but it felt so inexplicitly _right. _Her toes curled in her shoes and before she could stop and think sensibly, her hands grabbed the lapels of his jacket to pull herself up higher on her toes, and closer to him.

After the kiss lasting far too long, he released her, but kept her half in his grasp. "There is no way you can be alive, and yet you're standing in front of me." He said, his hand moving to brush her cheek.

"You need to let go of me," She managed to say, but it came out soft and unconvincing - especially after what they had just done.

"You can't be alive," The Doctor said firmly, ignoring her statement, "You died; you died on the first day." He sounded so sure. Aliya's eyes dropped from him momentarily to stare at the floor, moisture gathering at the sides.

"I disappeared, it's not the same thing. You just assumed that meant I was dead." Her voice was quiet and sad, and the Doctor grabbed her chin and pulled it up so her eyes met his blue ones. Once he let go they didn't stray, but remained locked on the new but eternally familiar eyes.

"I thought you were dead," Aliya had never heard the Doctor's voice to be so broken, or known him to be as damaged as this, and it scared her. The Doctor had always been the strong one, the one to comfort her. And she was at least part of the reason for the change, which meant she could be part of the solution. "What happened to you?"

"I can't tell you," She whispered, "You're out of your timeline. We were never supposed to meet."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Speaking of time, we're running out of it. This way. We've got a job to do," She said quickly, stepped away from him and cursing herself for letting the conversation go on as long as it had. But he had been so upset, what was she supposed to have done?

He followed her along the corridor, and when they arrived at the control room and Aliya saw the others had not arrived, she almost lost hope until she saw that the door was open and she didn't require the sonic she had given to the others. She rushed inside and he followed suit.

"What exactly are you looking for?" He inquired, looking over the equipment but not able to do anything with information.

"Some sort of energy channelling…" Aliya blinked forcefully a couple of times to stay focused and lent on the control board to take some of the weight off herself before struggling to finish the sentence. "Energy channelling drainage control. I think."

"What, you mean like this one?" The Doctor pointed to a small keyboard with one of the common intergalactic languages printed onto the touch pad. Aliya nodded and slowly made her way over to it, but he could tell she was struggling and got there first. "What is it that you want to do?"

"Stop and then reverse the machine," She said.

"I'd rather know what I'm reversing first," He said, and she frowned, but before she could answer someone else did.

"You're reversing the process that is killing her," Ali said, leaning on the door frame like she owned the place. "Look at her, she can't even walk." The Doctor's eyes swivelled from the black haired newcomer whose presence he was internally denying to an Aliya who was deathly pale and looking faint. She was leaning hard against the panel, transferring all the weight possible, though she somehow still managed to roll her eyes at her younger self.

"I may be weak, but I'm not disabled," She insisted, and to prove her point she took a small number of incredibly shaky steps towards the centre of the room. She stumbled and nearly hit the ground head first, but a helping hand from Ali assisted her in regaining balance. "Maybe a little. But it's not as bad as you think…" The last word trailed off into nothing as she closed her eyes a couple of times with extreme fatigue before she lost consciousness and fell into Ali's arms. Nine made a move towards her, but Ali's eyes told him to back off.

"Reverse it, or her and the others will die in a manner of minutes," She whispered, and his eyes filled with shock, making him promptly and wordlessly return to the job he had been assigned.

In precisely 36 seconds he pressed the final button and the machine made a satisfying confirmation noise, and once he was sure it had worked he quickly knelt by Ali, who was cradling Aliya's head in her lap while the majority of the blonde's body was splayed across the floor. He placed his hand on her unnaturally pale skin to be met with a below zero degrees Celsius temperature.

"She's colder than ice," He said quietly, staring at her with concern.

"Of course she is. She was nearly drained of all her life energy. Being severely injured and having a below freezing temperature sort of go hand in hand for us Gallifreyans," Ali said slightly condescendingly, but was just as concerned for the other woman as he was. He looked her in the eyes for the first time, and felt his tough exterior melt slightly.

"I've missed you."

She gave him an understanding smile. "It hasn't been long enough for me to say the same, I'm afraid." They both felt some warmth return to the skin of the woman in her arms.

"Thank you," Aliya murmured, and shifted slightly but kept her eyes closed, clearly conscious enough to figure out that the process had been reversed. Her eyes opened slowly, still lacking her usual energy. She sat up quickly and immediately regretted it when the head rush hit her brain with the force of a battering ram. "Where are the girls?"

"We ran into another one of us - a very young one, I'm assuming you know her - and so I sent the three of them back to Sarah Jane and the others." Ali helped her to her feet, and Aliya's hands shot up to her head where the now non-active band was still present around her head. She ripped it off as quickly as possible and hurled it away without looking at the direction, and hoped a few seconds after it hadn't hit anything important.

"Are you okay?" Nine asked her and she nodded.

"Weak, but able. We should get moving. I'll explain on the way to the chamber where the others are being held." She said while pointing her sonic at the controls used to reverse the drainage process before walking with hesitant and slightly unsteady steps out the door. With a slower pace than before due to Aliya still recovering, the three of them made their way to the people who needed rescuing.

"You passed out. Do you think the Doctor did too?" Ali asked Aliya, who shook her head but was unable to answer as Nine cut across her.

"Of course I didn't. I was right there with you, remember?" He said, with a tone suggesting that he thought them severely confused.

"Not you," Ali told him quickly, and he frowned deeply.

"What do you mean, not me? And what the hell are you doing here anyway? How can you be here at the same time as her?" He asked angrily, the Northern accent forceful. Ali cringed slightly while Aliya remained silent but watched them while conserving her strength.

"You're saying it like you haven't done it before," Ali said accusingly, and he bristled.

"But this is different," He protested.

"Of course it is," Aliya said, "Ali, use the sonic to get them all free. I'll find the others and bring them down." Ali took the sonic and pushed open the huge door which Aliya had not bothered to lock when she last exited it. The feeling of sick familiarity returned to her as her eyes adjusted to the slightly dimer lighting. The only lights apart from the ones that lined the floor were the four individual strong ones which shone down on each of the people strapped in. As she and Aliya had the last time, Ali made a beeline straight for the Doctor, sonicking his bindings open. His gaze swivelled to his younger self who had followed cautiously.

"Oh, it's you! Another one, good. Well, it's bad, but still," Eleven babbled while Nine watched with badly disguised horror.

"I can't believe I'm going to be you one day," Nine said with distaste, eyeing the braces, and the bowtie in particular. "I mean, bowtie, I'd thought we'd left that behind centuries ago!" Eleven got off the wooden board he had been strapped to and stood up.

"Bowties are cool," He said confidently, adjusting the object in question while he surveyed the familiar outfit of the other man, and vice versa. Neither seemed too pleased, and both wisely decided to not press the subject.

Meanwhile, Aliya and the others had begun to arrive until the room was very full of Doctors, Aliyas and five humans.

Two and Three were bickering, as per usual, while the Angel did her best to keep the peace. The small group of humans exchanged hugs of relief and excited exclamations at Maria's presence, while some of the Doctors and Aliyas had paired off in conversation.

Theta and Vora's hands were linked while they chatted animatedly. Aliya couldn't help but smile fondly at the two of them, knowing the joys and hardships to come, especially for him.

Luna and Seven had gravitated towards each other, as she didn't find him as outwardly bubbly as the rest.

Ali, Five and Eight were simply talking amongst themselves, laughing quietly. But if one were to look closer, both men were eyeing the other with a kind of jealousy, but she was giving them both equal attention.

Eleven turned when he heard the door and was relieved to see a slightly pale but otherwise seemingly unharmed Aliya. She had done it, and he was proud of her. She locked eyes with him and smiled almost shyly before breaking into a large grin to match his.

"Aliyanadevoralundar, I could bloody kiss you," He said loudly, confusing several of the other people in the room who went by the same name.

"I think the other blonde in your life might have something to say about that," Aliya smiled as she thought of the time-travelling archaeologist she just knew they were both going to become very fond of, "But a hug will do." He grinned and closed the gap between them with a large hug that lifted off her feet and spun her around slightly.

"Looks like it doesn't matter how many different bodies we have," Theta said to Vora as he watched the two present day incarnations and remembered how all the different regenerations acted around each other, "We can't be kept apart." She caught his eyes and blushed, but he could see her pleased little smile she was doing her best to hide.

His words did not go unnoticed, and the hug was quickly cut short by Aliya and the Doctor. Luckily they were saved from having to answer by Sarah Jane's exclamation of surprise. Everyone followed her gaze to the man with wild brown curls and the scarf they remembered fondly.

"Doctor," She said softly, unprepared for seeing not just the Doctor, but _her_ Doctor.

"Sarah Jane," He replied solemnly, watching her with guilt. "I-"

"Whatever it is you're going to say, I made my peace with you a long time ago, though it's going to be a while for you, I suspect," Sarah Jane said with a smile.

"You've grown up," He said, looking her over.

"I got old," She replied, repeating the line she had said to the only Doctor who was not present.

"Never," He said with a smile, and without another word she rushed towards him and they shared a hug that had most others in the room smiling.

Aliya found herself being pulled from the room and out of the door by someone who turned out to be the Ninth Doctor, his eyes full of some sort of unfathomable emotion. "Have you seen a blonde girl around, human one with lots of eye makeup?" He asked her, and she had to guess who he meant, though was quite confident in it.

"Rose," Aliya said without thinking. "She's not here, she'll be back on the TARDIS, where you were before you came here, I think." He looked relieved but suspicious.

"How do you know her?" He inquired. "What happens to her?"

"I don't know, sorry, the Doctor didn't tell me much," She shrugged apologetically. She couldn't help but stare at him and ask the question she hadn't quite found the confidence to ask her own Doctor. "Did you miss me?"

"Every day," He said, gazing at her with his intense blue eyes, his hands taking her own. "I spent so long thinking you were dead - that you were all dead. And now, you're alive. And it's fantastic." He said, grinning at her widely, his eyes slightly teary. Aliya smiled sadly, and squeezed his hand. "But here...in my future...are you two even _together_?"

"No," Aliya whispered, for the first time letting herself show the hurt she felt. She'd gotten back, and admittedly expected _something_, especially after regenerating. She had been just about to ask him outright when River Song had showed up. Then the pieces had slotted into place. She'd been gone too long, and he had moved on, possibly more than once. "I even-" She stared at him. "I _regenerated _right in front of him, and he wouldn't even touch me."

"Then he is either very strong, or very stupid," The Doctor said quietly, and his hand came to rest at her waist, his fingers curling against the skin there through the fabric of her shirt. "Looking at him, probably both."

She wanted to laugh, but all she could think about was his hand and his entire physicality. It dominated the space around them in a way her Doctor's never would, his presence was almost tangible. And it was the only thing she could think about. "It's been longer for him. He has others in his life."

"But it's not been long enough for you. You still feel how you did...before?" He was somehow closer to her than before, but she could have sworn he hadn't moved.

"That's irrelevant. We were best friends before and there's no reason for it to not be like that again," She whispered, "It's simple. Don't make this about feelings for Rassilon's sake."

"Alright. No feelings, promise. Just one question," He said, solemnly eyeing her while still standing far too close. But then, almost every one of his incarnations had struggled with the concept of personal space.

"Okay. What?"

His hands came up to hold her firmly at the top of her neck. Before she could protest, he kissed her. It was slow and gentle and sweet. But when she tried to push him away, he deepened it until she had no breath. He kissed her like a last chance, like a last hope. With no rational judgement in her head, her arms wrapped around his neck as his hands ventured to her hips and pulled her body flush against his. The only thing in her head was _Doctor_ and it didn't matter that they both had new bodies because they were still the same and she couldn't remember feeling something this strong since she'd been the black haired woman in the other room.

When her back hit the corridor wall, Aliya was surprised to realise that he had actually backed her up against it, trapping her. She wrenched her mouth away from his and tried to protest that _they_ _really shouldn't be doing what they were doing_ but his mouth just moved to press kisses against her neck. His hands swept her sides and held her against his stronger, firmer body. When their eyes finally met again, her hands yanked his mouth back to hers. Because in the end, she was - secretly - as desperate as he was.

Finally, they broke apart and simply stayed where they were against the wall, both panting slightly and staring at each other with dark eyes that wanted more.

"There's my answer. It's always about feelings," He murmured, and her cheeks coloured while her chin stayed up. Fleetingly, she gave him a soft, tender kiss, the kind that said more than any formation of words would about her feelings. As she pulled away, her hand briefly caressed his cheek, and she smiled gently at him.

"You need to let go of me now," Aliya said somewhat reluctantly, and he did back off so that she was no longer held up between him and the wall. Before she could move too far away, however, he pressed a quick kiss to her forehead.

"Don't think that I don't care. He's stupid, but he's not that stupid," He told her intently, "No matter who else is in his life, or how...you're important to him. Nothing could have changed that. Even if you're just a friend...you're a very special friend."

"Yeah, what just happened felt very 'special'," She said sarcastically, frowning.

He chuckled. "You know what I mean." Wordlessly, they re-entered the room just in time for them to hear Theta ask what would happen to them all.

"Just to clarify, the last thing all of you remember was going to sleep?" Eleven asked the group of the past which Nine wasted no time in joining, and they all nodded. "That confirms it then. You've just been to Traken," he pointed to Four, "You're travelling with Peri," Five was next, to be followed by Nine, "And you're travelling with Rose and Jack." They all nodded in confirmation. "You've all been snatched from your timeline during the last time your brain was dormant in that stage of your life." He checked the sonic screwdriver which Ali had handed to him, which had been taking readings all over the ship. "In thirty seconds you will be put back to where you belong. You will think this was a dream, and it will fade quickly. None of you will remember. Or so I'm guessing, haven't had a lot of chance to investigate properly." He shrugged.

Ali turned to Five. "Since this will be my last chance, I just want to say that I'm sorry...and that I have missed you so much," She said softly, and kissed him tenderly, something he soon reciprocated. Aliya waved sadly to Nine as the incarnations of the past began to resemble projections and faded slowly into thin air.

Having been eyeing the fading and still attached Ali and Five, Aliya and the Doctor shared an unspeakably embarrassed significant look, and looked away from each other hurriedly.

"What the hell was that all about?" Clyde asked, while Luke privately felt the same. The others looked between them and shared a tired smile, wondering where to start.


	19. Bronxites and Bannermen: Looking Back

"So, you're trying to tell me that during that whole business with the Shansheeth, there was a cute alien chick trapped inside the TARDIS the whole time?" Clyde asked in horror, looking at Aliya in admiration and disbelief. The Time Lady was amused by him calling her cute and flashed him a smile, but did not miss the tiny flash of jealousy that had flashed over Rani's face for less than a second when he said it.

"Well, yes," The Doctor admitted, not for the first time embarrassed about leaving his friend alone for days unable to move freely.

"You may be a genius, but you know nothing about girls, do you?" Clyde asked him sceptically.

"Oi!" The Doctor protested indignantly. "I do too know about girls. I've kissed them and everything, more than you have, I bet." His answer was so childish that an odd giggle escaped Aliya.

"If you say so," Clyde said with a roll of his eyes.

"I don't understand how all of your different regenerations can be together at the same time. That's a paradox, Mr Smith told me." Luke said.

"Yes, that is true for most life forms. However, with Time Lords this is only true for the same body. When we regenerate every single cell of our body is reborn, therefore we can touch each other with causing a paradox. Though it is still very dangerous." The Doctor explained. "But that's not important. What is important is getting out of here and getting you lot home."

"The Bronxites can't just be left alone, they'll just hurt someone else." Sarah Jane said, looking concerned.

"We could blow the ship up!" Clyde said enthusiastically, and felt underappreciated when everyone turned to glare at him.

"We don't want to kill them, Clyde." The Doctor reminded him, and Sarah Jane nodded as if she had been about to say the same thing, which in fact she had.

"But we wouldn't have to kill them. We give them a choice," Aliya said suddenly, "We tell them we're going to blow up the ship – which can be done with a little bit of sonic tinkering around the controls and be activated from the TARDIS. They can choose to leave in the escape pods which I know they have, or they can stay here and get ripped to pieces. Their choice. Blowing up – though really, it is a very crude term – would be our best option from where I'm standing." Though the Doctor and Sarah Jane were a little reluctant to mentally accept it, her explanation did raise a fair point.

"Exactly!" Clyde agreed, and looked over her with gratitude and crossed his arms, a thoughtful expression on his face. "I like her." He said firmly. Aliya smiled at him.

"I like you too." She chuckled.

"Well…okay. But only because I can't let this equipment survive. Otherwise I wouldn't let you." The Doctor agreed with a large amount of difficulty, and Aliya's smug smile halved in size when she saw the truth and genuine compassion in his eyes, and that he truly seemed to care about everything.

"Otherwise, I wouldn't want to," She reminded him gently, and he nodded, pressing the yellow sonic back into her hand.

"Do you want to do the honours?" He gestured to a nearby control panel and she grinned before assaulting it with the sonic.

"Is that hers, or a spare of yours?"

He shrugged. "Both, I suppose."

"You should have had a second one before, taught me how to use it."

"You got a lipstick." The Doctor reminded her, and she laughed.

"Yes I did, but not til much later. Do many of your companions get sonic devices as gifts?" Sarah Jane asked curiously.

"What? No… Just you and Aliya – and technically the TARDIS me that one, and it's not really hers. Though I did have someone who built her own. She always was good at things like that." He said with a smile, not letting the thought of Romana impact him. Sarah Jane couldn't help but feel slightly proud that she was the only human to have gotten such a gift.

"She always said hers was better than yours," Aliya called out from over by the control box, and the five humans turned a curious and an amused gaze to the uncomfortable looking Doctor.

"Was not! Hers was just …. different." He argued, and trailed off slightly lamely.

"So you tried to steal hers because it was _different_?" Aliya inquired loudly so that everyone could hear, and Sarah Jane laughed at him.

"What?" The Doctor asked indignantly, tired of all the jokes being at his expense.

"I just think you've finally met your match." She said, clearly amused and strangely pleased.

"Maybe…" He admitted, but then grinned mischievously, "And maybe at some point I will have to introduce you to River Song."

"She can come to the wedding!" Aliya said ironically, and the Doctor was hit by a very strong urge to do that idiotic face palm action humans from the twenty first century and Aliya seemed so very fond of. Of course she _would _mention that.

"Wedding?" Sarah Jane inquired, looking surprised and incredibly curious.

"Yes...I mean no! There's no wedding. Aliya is just predicting things she has no way of knowing," The Doctor babbled embarrassedly, and the blonde woman just smirked as she finished the job, closing up the panel and re-joining the group, which consisted of the teenagers – who had been chatting the whole time – and the adults.

"You know what, as interesting as it sounds, I think I'll pass. I'll wait to see what happens when it happens. Not to mention, I think we need to get back to the TARDIS right now," Sarah Jane said, wary and surprising...afraid. The others followed her gaze up to the Observation Platform, where the chief Bronxite was standing and watching with fury.

"Everyone out, now!" The Doctor commanded, and the seven of them ran out of the room and towards the TARDIS as quickly as possible. They were almost there when they heard the sound of feet, and the yells of angry Bronxites echoed menacingly through the corridors of the spaceship.

"Run faster!" Aliya called out to the humans at the front of the group, as she and the Doctor were bringing up the rear.

Finally the TARDIS came into view, and Sarah Jane tried to open it but to no avail. The Bronxites were gaining, and a laser shot whizzed past Aliya's ear as she hurried to the TARDIS door to use her sonic to open it. She pushed the humans inside and called for the Doctor as she stepped through the door herself. He ran to the door and stuck one leg through before poking his head back out to face the large group of hostile Bronxites aiming guns at him.

"I don't suppose there is any way we can talk about this?" He asked, and the answer he received was about a dozen bullets all aimed at his head, which luckily by that point was safely inside the TARDIS. As the Doctor closed the TARDIS door, he turned to look at the six people waiting for him expectantly. Aliya's hands were close to the outer communications panel and ready to transmit their threat to the Bronxites while her eyes were locked with his, waiting for permission. He gave her the nod and her fingers set to work opening the com link.

After half a minute, several typos that were immediately followed by Gallifreyan curses and the Doctor's scolding for said curses, the link was open and the Doctor took charge, standing in front of the microphone and placing his hands on the edge of the console.

"Bronxites, hello. Look, I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got some humans to drop home so I'm going to make it quick. I've got a rather helpful button here which can – and will - cause your ship to explode in less than five minutes. So, basically, get to your escape pods right now, or get blown up. Your choice, and frankly I couldn't care less. Goodbye now," He said, in a triumphant rant before ending the com link. All of his companions knew he was lying when he said he didn't care if the Bronxites got blown up with the ship, but said nothing as it didn't need to be said.

He cleared his throat quietly, and looked thoughtfully at the button which would solve their problem. Aliya noticed his hesitation as his finger lingered above it, and placed her hand gently on his arm in a way she hoped was comforting.

"If you don't do it, then one of us will," She said, and that was all he needed to apply just a small amount of pressure on the button before removing it quickly. He looked at her with an expression she saw as unsure guilt. "We didn't kill them. We gave them a choice. If anyone is still in there when it explodes, they killed themselves." She reassured him, and while he didn't look entirely convinced, he nodded curtly before turning to the controls and asking Maria the co-ordinates for her home in America and setting the TARDIS on course.

"Dad's not going to believe what happened," Maria said excitedly.

"It will be nice to see him again, even if it's only briefly." Sarah Jane said, and Luke and Clyde agreed.

When the TARDIS landed – only ten seconds after it had dematerialised in America – Maria ran to the door in a slightly hyperactive manner and was followed by her friends. She flung it open to reveal her rather stunned looking father.

"Now look here, I think I need a word with Aliya-" He started and Maria just laughed while Aliya made no effort to hide a smirk he couldn't see. "Hold on, you weren't all there before. Where did you come from?" Maria laughed and hugged him.

"It's a time machine, Dad, remember? It's already happened for us." She reminded him, and he looked confused.

"What has?" Alan asked.

"Oh, you know," Aliya began with a smile, coming closer to the door so he could see her properly, "The usual."

"I don't know if that's a good thing or not," He said unsurely, making the others laugh because his statement was rather well founded.

Goodbyes were soon said, with Maria giving hugs to all. She hesitated in front of the Doctor, who then grinned and hugged her before she could chicken out. "Goodbye," She said when all of them were back inside the TARDIS, ready to close the door.

"Come and visit us again properly some time." Sarah Jane replied. They closed the door and Maria and Alan Jackson watched as the TARDIS dematerialised in front of them, and then turned around and headed back to their house, smiling to themselves.

* * *

The TARDIS materialised in Sarah Jane's driveway, and the six people stepped out and looked at the large house fondly, with four of them glad to see a place that was either home or something incredibly close.

"You know, after all that, we never got the milk." Clyde said thoughtfully, and Rani and Sarah Jane laughed.

"He means bovine lactic fluid, doesn't he?" Aliya asked the Doctor quietly, the pair standing slightly away from the others. He chuckled and nodded.

"Doctor, would you mind moving the TARDIS down the street?" Sarah Jane requested, eyeing the blue box that was rather ostentatiously dominating most of the space of her driveway. "I do have neighbours."

"Yeah, if my mum saw that we'd never hear the end of it, and Dad would probably go off on some weird history lesson." Rani agreed, and Clyde looked amused.

"Yeah, I get enough of her Dad's lectures in school, I try and avoid getting extras, very dull," He said, resulting in Rani elbowing him and him yelping indignantly.

"Of course, Sarah," The Doctor said, and stepped into the TARDIS before it disappeared.

"I never thought to ask, but about how long has it been for him since we met the first time? I'm sure it has been much longer for him than it was for me." Sarah Jane asked Aliya, as she had long wondered about the oldness of the Doctor's eyes and how it had greatly increased between when she was younger and when she had met him many years later.

"I think it was about four hundred years. Hard to say, of course. Time Machines and all that." Aliya shrugged and Sarah Jane nodded as she had expected the answer, while Luke and Clyde looked shocked.

"You're four hundred years old?" Clyde asked in surprise. Aliya raised an eyebrow while Rani looked amused.

"No! Four hundred years old? How old do I look to you?" Aliya said, and Clyde looked relieved momentarily. "I'm not a youth you know. I'm 710." Clyde's eyebrows practically receded into his incredibly short hair. He opened his mouth to say something but Sarah Jane cut him off.

"Clyde, don't bother her about it. It's natural for her. Why don't you all go inside and inform Mr Smith about what happened?" She lectured, and he nodded before taking one last curious look at the blonde woman before heading up to the attic with Luke and Rani, leaving Sarah Jane and Aliya alone.

Sarah Jane studied Aliya carefully before taking a deep breath. "Did you know Rose?" She finally started.

"I know _of_ her." Aliya answered, curious as to where the subject was going.

"I met her a few times. The first was the first time I met the Doctor after I left the TARDIS. He had Rose, and that was when she found out she was the most current in a long line of companions, and how in the end we all leave for our own reasons. I told her that one day, if for whatever reason she had left and she needed somewhere to be and someone that would understand, she could come and find me." Sarah Jane explained, and Aliya nodded.

"That was very kind of you," She complimented, and Sarah Jane shrugged, smiling somewhat embarrassedly.

"Yes, well," She said, putting her hands in her pockets. "She ended up being trapped in a parallel universe, so the offer was not really on the table after that for obvious reasons."

"Of course," Aliya agreed curtly.

"The thing is…" Sarah Jane said, bringing her eyes up to meet Aliya's as she smiled, "I would like to extend to you the same invitation." Aliya was taken aback, but oddly touched. Before she could reply Sarah Jane continued. "I know that you are the same species as him, which means in theory you'll never have to leave. But the thing about life is that sometimes it doesn't make sense, and sometimes things happen that you could never have planned. I just wanted you to know you would welcome here any time. Especially considering that you probably wouldn't have many other places to go, now that Gallifrey's gone." She was sincere and her expression caring, and so wonderfully human in her compassion. "Besides, I imagine you'd be alright at helping with our constant alien incursions."

At that very moment the Doctor walked up from having parked the TARDIS.

"Right then," He rubbed his hands together in preparation, "I suppose it's time to be off. What do you say, Aliya? There is a banana grove in the 51st century I've been meaning to get back to. I haven't tried them yet in this body, I'm curious. I mean, it used to be weapons factories, but the reactor went critical and they got vaporised. My fault, I decided I wanted bananas more than I wanted sonic blasters."

Sarah Jane and Aliya shared looks of fond amusement and the Doctor for once was observant enough to notice. "Am I interrupting something?" He asked, looking unsure and uncomfortable all of a sudden.

"No, just girl talk," Sarah Jane lied smoothly, and the Doctor nodded eagerly.

"Girl talk, great. Um, yes, I don't think I'm much good at that," He admitted, looking awkward.

"Let's go," Aliya suggested before he could dig himself into a deeper pit of embarrassment. As she and the Doctor turned to leave, Aliya seemed to come to a decision and walked back to smiled warmly at Sarah Jane. "Thank you." She said, and Sarah Jane knew she was talking about the offer that had been made. Aliya hugged the human woman, and whispered in her ear quickly, "I'll keep your offer in mind."

"Yes, goodbye, Sarah Jane." The Doctor said, and hugged her as well. "Tell the others goodbye for us." The two Gallifreyans walked away and down the street. Sarah Jane waited a few moments before walking down the street to watch the TARDIS dematerialise, and smiled to herself as she walked back into her house.

She entered the attic, and was soon asked where the Doctor and Aliya were.

"They've left. The Doctor doesn't like to hang around, you know that. It's a busy life on the TARDIS, you never know where you'll end up, or who you are going to meet."

* * *

"Do you actually have the ability to go _anywhere_ without getting into danger?" Aliya asked the Doctor with a roll of her eyes, and he simply scoffed. Instead of the banana grove they were simply in orbit of the Earth, a place of neutrality, as he called it.

"Of course I do. It's the TARDIS, sometimes she gravitates towards the more important periods of time. It's got nothing to do with luck." He said, looking mildly irritated.

"If I recall correctly, it has nothing to do with luck, and more to do with the fact that you are simply a magnet for trouble." She teased, knowing he was correct and unable to fully disregard the science, but chose to momentarily ignore it instead for her own amusement.

"Even if I am, you make it sound like a bad thing! I've saved a lot of lives, by getting into trouble." The Doctor argued, and Aliya softened, immediately changing her perception and regarding him with respect and fondness.

"You and your excuses," She joked, rolling her eyes playfully and sitting down on the Captain's seat. He ignored the last comment and tinkered with the TARDIS console.

Silence dwelled in the room, the only sounds the footsteps of the Doctor as he idly circled the round console, and the quiet clattering of his fiddling. The minutes dragged on and Aliya stretched out along the Captain's seat, closing her eyes in frustration as she thought about the events on the spaceship. The darkness behind her lids disturbed her slightly and caused her to open her eyes abruptly and stare at the ceiling of the console room again.

After a while the Doctor glanced at her, and was curious about the frown etched on her forehead as she – unknown to him – tried to block him out. "Something wrong?" He asked slowly, risking another glance before pointedly turning back to the TARDIS screen in the exact moment that she broke out of her web of thoughts and rotated her face to stare at him.

"Why do you ask?" She seemed almost suspicious and a little touchy.

"Oh, no reason. You just looked annoyed at something. I was curious." He shrugged, still not looking at her.

"I just…" Aliya struggled to find the right words to express herself, as English was not her first language and while she spoke it fluently, there were times when she just had trouble for no particular reason. She bit her lip in thought as she sat up slightly and turned on the seat to face him. "I'm just a little annoyed at them- I mean- us."

The Doctor tensed the tiniest bit, and Aliya didn't continue. She hadn't wanted to answer truthfully but she almost wanted to bring it up just to force him to acknowledge their past.

The problem was, they were now on the borderline of forbidden territory. The thing they had been avoiding since they had been reunited.

"You mean your fourth and my fifth." He said quietly, and the image of the two of them kissing for all it was worth entered both of their brains. For Aliya, she thought about the intense kisses she had shared with his Ninth body, and wondered if the Doctor remembered the dream, remembered what had happened in it.

"I can't be mad, because I remember how it was to feel that way," Aliya said with a frown.

"Exactly," He replied.

Their eyes met and unspoken thoughts flashed between them, and they were in forbidden territory. They had been dancing around the topic for a while now, and now it was out. They both knew the other was thinking about it too, and there was no way to pretend they didn't.

Rani had told Aliya they looked like a couple, and while they weren't and Aliya had said so, weren't didn't mean never.

Aliya's mind went back to memories she could never forget. The Doctor's mind watched Aliya and saw the look in her eyes, and knew what they saw in her memories.

It was not hard for him to follow.

* * *

_Aliya sat on the red grass, her heart beating just a little faster knowing that she was technically breaking the Academy rules by leaving the Citadel. But Theta had insisted that there would be a meteor shower that night, and had wanted to show her what it could be like first hand. The only problem was that he wasn't here yet._

_She watched the twins suns finishing their journey across the sky, almost gone behind the horizon. She sighed happily and lent her head on her knees, which were pulled to her chest as she sat underneath the shady tree with its drooping silver branches._

_Rustling behind her alerted her to Theta's presence, and she turned to grin at the young brunette man as he pushed the branches out of the way and came to sit down next to her._

_"Hey," She grinned, and he mirrored her smile with his own._

_"Hey. Look who's turned into a real rebel, then." He teased, and she hit him lightly on the arm._

_"Watching a meteor shower isn't extremely rebellious," She defended despite not being bothered by his teasing. "And who turned me into a rule-breaker, who was it?" Her light sarcasm caused him to pretend to think carefully, rubbing his chin with mock thoughtfulness._

_"I don't know, but it must have been someone very kind, impossibly funny and devastatingly good-looking." He said seriously, still rubbing his chin._

_"Nah, he was just really immature," She said simply, and he pretended to look offended. "Cute, though." He grinned._

_"Ah, you can't get enough of me, really," He said with waggling eyebrows as he put an arm around her shoulders. She smiled and leant into his shoulder._

_They stayed like that for a few moments before a thought occurred to her that she had all but forgotten about. It was a touchy subject that she was a little worried about entering, but recently, she had begun to feel different around Theta, her chest tightening whenever she saw him, and it reminded her of how she used to react to Koschei._

_She had feelings for Theta Sigma. And it was time to find out if he returned those feelings._

_"Theta," She began quietly, nervously biting her lip._

_"Yeah?"_

_"Ushas told me something, a while ago, just after she helped me with Koschei…she told me…that you're in love with me." She whispered, heart pounding with fear and anticipation. His body stiffened and he looked at her with an unusual expression._

_"Did she?" He asked, his voice strangely forced._

_Aliya nodded slowly. "I was just…wondering…if it was true."_

_His eyes met hers, captivating her. "And if it were?" His voice was questioning, but then he quickly added, "Hypothetically?"_

_She swallowed in a very deliberate manner before taking a deep breath and letting loose the words in her mouth before she lost the courage to say them._

_Come on, Aliya, take a risk for once!_

_"Then…hypothetically…I would tell you that I think I feel the same way," She replied shakily, and some kind of triumph passed through his beautiful green eyes. She raised her hand to touch his cheek, and he covered her hand with his, trapping it there and closing his eyes briefly at her touch._

_He eventually pulled her hand down, just holding it while staring into the blue and green eyes that had trapped him from almost the moment when they had first lit up for him, and felt as though he could stare at them forever._

_Slowly, aware of her hitched breath and her tightened grip on his hand as she realised what he was about to do, Theta leaned in, slowly, hesitantly, closing the already small gap between them. His soft lips brushed hers, and she brought her free hand up to lightly touch his face, leaning into the kiss, feeling how unsure he was and trying to show him that he didn't have to be._

_He pulled away after what seemed like forever – and she wished that it had been – and she could feel his breath on her cheek._

_"Hypothetically, huh?" He whispered, and Aliya let out a shaky laugh, and soon they were both laughing at their own shyness. He gave her another brief kiss for fun, then forced her to sit back and watch the meteors fall, which, admittedly, she did love._

_But during the whole thing, despite not kissing her at all after that…_

_He didn't let go of her hand._

* * *

_The Doctor entered the room quietly, his Victorian coat brushing the door slightly on entry. Nevertheless, she heard him, and though he didn't know it yet, he would not have been surprised._

_Aliyanadevoralundar stood by the window, and looked out on the Citadel which – although one would not know from the outside – was laden with unrest. The next day, the largest war in the history of creation was going to break out, and there was nothing anyone could do._

_"War is coming. Fire and rage and death, scattered across time and galaxies and the worlds of innocents," She said gravely and somewhat poetically as he stood idly near the door, watching her from the side._

_"You say that like everyone on this planet doesn't know it," The Doctor said, and she turned to look at him for the first time._

_He was quite familiar with this incarnation of her now. Her ebony hair was twisted up in a formal bun, but strands of hair had fallen around her face, as she had been busy preparing alongside every other Gallifreyan for the upcoming war, with not much time for checking on her hair. Her long midnight blue dress had silver stitching and embroidery that shone in the dim light of the room._

_"The only thing we can do is fight, which is the problem. It's almost a paradox in itself." Her different coloured eyes stared at him sadly as she slowly walked towards him, one of them gold and one the colour of Earth's sky during the day. "Why are you here, Theta?" She asked._

_He smiled and almost laughed. "I wanted to see you," He said, "Is that such a crime?"_

_For the first time in far too long he saw her smile just a little. It wasn't the smile that he had been missing all these centuries, but it was somewhat wonderful nonetheless._

_"Of course. The infamous renegade, the Doctor, found alone with the cousin of the Lady President?" She pretended to look scandalised. "You'd better make sure no one comes in that door and finds you breaking such important protocols."_

_The Doctor chuckled and walked backwards to press it shut, sealing it with his sonic screwdriver. "I suppose now this means that I can break as many protocols as I like," He exclaimed, and turned around just in time for Aliya to wrap her arms around his neck and hug him tightly._

_"It's been so long," She whispered in his ear wistfully, and his arms coiled around her waist._

_"Far too long," He agreed solemnly before pulling away. "Though it is a shame it could not be under better circumstances." He eyed the large bun on her head, and felt an urge to take it out and let her hair fall freely. He reached out his hand and touched it lightly, and her eyes looked at his arm before meeting his blue eyes again._

_"May I?" He asked, indicating he meant her hair, and after a moment of appearing confused, she smiled again._

_"Please," She said softly. To the Doctor it seemed to mean more than a simple agreement or request. He was unsure of what she was asking, but wanted to find out._

_Nevertheless, he pulled the pins out of her hair and let it fall down her back. She smiled in gratitude and took the pins from him, turning her back to walk around the small table near the window they stood close to and place the pins on her vanity which was located nearer to the bedchamber._

_"Is it true?" She asked him quietly, almost completely turned away from him. "Is he…" She stopped and swallowed her words thickly before trying again. "Did they really bring him back?"_

_"Yes," The Doctor replied, knowing the news would distress her, though he had to admit he was curious about whether she would be happy or not. To this day he was not entirely sure of Aliya's feeling regarding their old friend turned enemy, and he admitted to himself that he was slightly worried about what the answer might be._

_He saw her knuckles whiten as she clutched the edge of the vanity, and stepped a little closer, but did not get very far before she stepped away from it and looked at him with slightly fearful eyes._

_"I wish he could just stay dead once and for all," She said with forced strength, and while both hoped that she meant it, both also were not sure. "He's a killer and it would be better for everyone if he was just dead."_

_"Do you really mean that?" The Doctor asked tenderly, and she closed her eyes as if thinking hard about it._

_"I don't know." She admitted, her voice only a whisper. "But he's wrong and evil, and I don't want him in my life, not ever again!" The fear in her eyes was ever so slightly panicked, and he approached her slowly before pulling her into a close embrace._

_"He's going to be far too busy fighting a war to be worrying about anything else," His words of reassurance seemed to calm her a little, but in addition he gently brushed a soft kiss against her temple. They stayed like that for a few moments before he spoke up again. "I've missed you, you know."_

_"I've missed you more," Aliya said, and the Doctor pulled away far enough to meet her eyes, laughing a little._

_"And how could you possibly know that?"_

_"Because if anyone missed someone more than I've missed you, they'd have gone mad."_

_Again the Doctor laughed, and he brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "Well, I'll let you in on a secret. I've been mad for centuries now."_

_Despite the initial look of surprise, Aliya's features immediately smoothed into acceptance. "I suppose that's true…oh, I wish I'd never stopped travelling with you. Every day something happens that I wish I could tell you about, but I never can."_

_"Really?" His face lit up, the innocent and youthful aura of him smiling at her. "What's happened today?"_

_"Nothing yet…"_

_"Well, is there anything that you especially want to happen?" Slowly, his fingers danced along the small of her back, touching her ticklish skin through the silken fabric. But still, their faces were apart, though they were partially in the other's arms._

_Immediately her face went pink and her eyes dropped from his face. "I…I don't know how to…" Her frown deepened a little, and though he couldn't see all of her face he could make out enough of the concentration that was suddenly there._

_A projected thought burst into his mind, from her. It was full of longing, longing of every kind…all directed at him. The image that accompanied it made him blink in surprise. It was the two of them, entwined and caught up in the most intimate of acts, in the bed that lay less than ten metres away._

_"That's what you want?" He breathed, his hand lifting her chin up and cupping her cheek. "You need to tell me now, but only if you're sure, Ali…because this…it's something I've wanted for too long and if I start I won't stop." When she didn't reply, he spoke more urgently. "Ali…what do you want?"_

_In response, and very hesitantly, she stretched up and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. When she pulled away, her different coloured eyes were bright, sure despite the obvious meekness._

_Taking her face firmly in his hands, he kissed her back with urgency, in a way he had not dared to in centuries despite the numerous urges to do so. Once she was kissing him back, he grinned against her lips with triumph before pulling away and covering her entire face with soft, tender kisses._

_"I never should have walked out all those years ago," She breathed, her eyes holding his._

_"I never should have let you," The Doctor said in agreement. His large hand swept down her neck to her shoulder before using it to pull her even closer to him._

_"I should have been braver, I'm so sorry, it was so cruel of me to leave right after Tegan did, but I was so afraid and horrified-" Her voice was almost panicked, and he briefly stopped kissing her cheek to stare at her._

_"Perhaps…but I should have noticed how much it was all bothering you," He put in, only for her to shake her head._

_"But-"_

_His mouth abruptly covered hers in a move to cease her talking, and once her body had relaxed some, he pulled away again to smile at her gently. "Why dwell on the past instead of living in the present?"_

_"Why not forget about everything?" Aliya whispered slowly, and hesitantly took him by the hand to lead him through to her bedchamber, where she then stood, waiting._

_Deliberately, giving her enough time to stop him, the Doctor slowly placed his hands at her cheek and neck, his thumb slowly caressing her cheekbone. "Ali, I-"_

_Her finger pressed itself up against his lips, silencing him. "Later." At that word, the Doctor felt the last of his control ebb out of him, and he abruptly took her hand away from him to crush his lips to hers. The kiss was soft but passionate and meaningful, and his hands cupped her face so that he could kiss her as deeply as possible._

_Their whereabouts had been forgotten and both of them yelped in surprise when they fell back onto the bed without warning, and they laughed for a moment until their eyes met. At that point, lips crashed together once more, and hands were trying to get rid of clothing. His coat was on the floor along with his waistcoat and cravat, while Aliya had suddenly been rolled on top of him so that his nimble fingers could undo the buttons at the back of her dress._

_Feeling a shudder run through her at the sensation of his fingertips brushing against the her back, Aliya laid kisses across his face and neck before sitting up to allow him to pull her gown over her head and discard it on the floor. She bent over his chest from where she was sitting on him, and untucked his pale shirt from his trousers before sliding it up his torso. Meanwhile, his hands were playing with the long, dark curls of her hair as they fell across his face, and they only stopped when they had to lift to make way for his shirt being removed._

_Once it too had disappeared, he brought her face back down to his before she could do anything more, needing to fulfil the burning urge to kiss her again, to feel her so willingly give herself to him while also taking some of him with her. When he broke away, his finger traced the shape of her full lips, his open eyes taking in as much of her as he could._

_"You're so beautiful," He said, awed that after all the things in the universe he had seen that were all the more captivating, it was this one woman who finally took his breath away._

_"Not compared to you," Was her quiet reply before she pressed another kiss to the corner of his mouth. "And you're beautiful on the inside too." And then she made a point of kissing him in such a way that he got distracted away from talking once more. Immediately his hands were making quick work of her corset, and soon that too was on the floor, along with his trousers and their underwear._

_When they were suddenly both bare, the Doctor rolled them in unison to put her below him so that he could press her body to his and feel the unrivalled rush of skin against skin. Tonight they would be together the way that they should have always been…but there was going to be no rush, no quick burst of passion…they had one night until all hell broke loose through the universe, and they were going to make the most of every second._

* * *

Aliya broke out of her thoughts to find the Doctor staring at her worriedly. She stood up and made her way to the stairs when he grabbed her arm.

"Aliya, I think we-" He started, but she wasn't standing for it.

"There's nothing to be said here, Doctor. What's in the past is in the past, and you know it," She said, not entirely truthful, but knowing it was what their situation had to be. "Now you have your own life, and I have mine. You had Rose, and now you have River. We've had our time. Neither of us want it back, so this is an unnecessary conversation. Goodnight, Doctor. I'm tired." Aliya twisted her arm out of his grip and walked up the stairs and out of sight.

The Doctor stood at the bottom of the stairs, gazing after her while deep in thought. She was right, after all. Good friends they may be, but anything that had been more had gone with the Time War along with everything else, and it was better that way. And he did have River and her spoilers to look forward too, which was always an interesting thought.

He smiled to himself, and continued with his tinkering.

Meanwhile, Aliya lay in bed in a room which she believed had belonged to Tegan. She had probably known Tegan best out of the Doctor's companions(mostly because Turlough had always been so cryptic and difficult to work out, despite being present on the TARDIS at the same time), not including Romana or Susan. But somehow the idea of intruding into her cousin's room seemed wrong, as did the idea of being in the room of the Doctor's granddaughter. Probably because both of them were dead, but she tried not to dwell on that thought.

The room that had belonged to Tegan did haven't many things in it, as she had never considered that she was going to be staying long, or had time to pack. There were some photos, of the Doctor, Tegan, Adric and Nyssa, as well as some without Adric, and then some with Turlough instead of Nyssa, and finally, one with Aliya's fourth incarnation also. That one she got out of bed to face downwards, as reminders of her travels with the Doctor's fifth incarnation were hardly going to help the current situation.

She thought about the words she had spoken to the Doctor, and convinced herself they were true, before sighing and concentrating on the patterns on the ceiling in an attempt to numb her mind.

* * *

"Now!" The Doctor said enthusiastically, rubbing his hands together in excitement, "How about that banana grove?"

It had been a large number of days since the affair on the spaceship and the awkward moments that had come of it. The first few days had been formal and strange, though eventually the normal feeling of familiarity and comfortableness had returned, to the relief of both.

Once the TARDIS had landed, he flung open the doors, possibly ready to practically pounce on the bananas he was awaiting on with such excitement. However, Aliya saw him falter just slightly for a moment. She moved slightly so she could see outside the doors properly, and was surprised and amused by what she saw.

Directly in front of the door, with her arms crossed and foot tapping, with the wild hair that was so defining stood the one person they had been rather anxious to run into again.

River Song.

"You two have got some explaining to do." She said.


	20. New New Danger: Foreboding

**Thanks so much to: StridersGirl89, ZackAttack96, hogwartschick22 (your reviews always make me smile and I get sad that I can't reply to them!), Caligo Origuu, lightwolfheart (naughty naughty for stealing all the cookies, LOL), goblindreamer, Doctor-River, and last but absolutely and impossibly not least...toavoidconversation! **

**All of your reviews make me smile so much!**

**To those of you who are excited to see River (Doctor-River, goblindreamer, toavoidconversation, Caligo Origuu, hogwartschick22):**

**She is finally here, and there should not be such a prolonged absence for her again! (Hopefully... :P) I'm sorry again for how long this chapter took!**

**Now, I have to confess that my little brother helped me with the general storyline for this adventure. I love him to pieces and he is quite helpful when I need advice for this. **

**Hope you enjoy! **

* * *

"You didn't call me sweetie." The Doctor said flatly, and looked incredibly disturbed by the notion.

"Oversized ego much?" Aliya asked him with a smirk. This only resulted in him throwing her an annoyed look.

"You always call me sweetie." He continued, turning back to River with a concerned expression. "Hello sweetie, it's the first thing you say to me every time."

"Look, you might know me very well in my future, but I barely know you, and from where I stand if you want me to call you things like that you're going to have to earn it," River said with a frown.

Aliya noticed the differences between the River in front of them and the River she had met previously, particularly the more pronounced youthfulness of the former. Her hair was lighter and more golden, closer to Aliya's own. Her eyes in particular were already sharp but slightly less aged. She wore a long black jacket that almost reached her knees, white leggings and dark boots.

"She's younger, much younger," Aliya whispered to the Doctor.

"Yes…I've never seen her this young," He replied equally quietly before speaking directly to River at normal volume. "So you don't know me yet."

"Well I wouldn't say that," River corrected him. "I've met you once, and I got a bit of an idea what was going on, but then...well, you had something else you had to attend to." Something in her expression was almost...guilty.

"Ah, well that's something I suppose. I hate breaking in newbies." The Doctor said.

"So do I get a trip in it this time, then?" River asked as she stepped inside and looked around. "I mean time travel isn't totally unheard of here, but only the time agency has access to it," She paused. "Legally."

Aliya laughed. "Yes, it's a time machine."

"Not exactly legal though, now that I think about it," The Doctor mused with a frown. "Still, it's not breaking any laws."

"I never much feel like bothering with laws myself," River said with a smirk. "But whatever makes you sleep at night."

The Doctor smiled and leaned against the wall of the TARDIS. "So what do you say? Fancy a trip, River Song?"

"Anywhere in time?" She asked, wanting to be sure but was obviously interested.

"Anywhere in space too. I can take you to the other end of the universe in less than a minute."

"Well," River began, looking between the two of them and the TARDIS itself, "How could I turn down an offer like that?" She raised her eyebrows as she smiled smugly.

"Great! Off we go then," The Doctor said enthusiastically, activating the door lock which caused it to slam shut. Aliya joined him on the console, helping him with bringing the handbrake into position as he prepared the TARDIS for take-off. "The question is of course, is where to go." Aliya and River both opened their mouths to offer a suggestions, but were cut off by the Doctor before they had time to form even half a word.

"You know what, never mind." He said, waving his hands dismissively. "I know just the place. Nice and far into the future for you, River, and I'll be interested to see how it is doing after what it had been through when I was last there."

"Sounds great," River said simply, looking him over with a rather pleased expression that Aliya did not miss.

"Aliya, are you just going to stand there or are you going to help?" The Doctor said, and Aliya rolled her eyes before doing as he said. "Watch and learn, River. You might have to fly this thing one day." He began to enter in the co-ordinates as Aliya explained a few of the basics to River.

"…and those are the blue stabilisers," She said, and the Doctor frowned with annoyance.

"You had to go and tell her that, didn't you?" He asked Aliya, clearly a little irritated. "Now she'll go and show off to younger me and Amy with her precious blue stabilisers. They're boringers, blue boringers, River. Don't listen to her." River looked between the two of them and smirked.

"What _exactly_ do you have against stabilisers?" She asked the Doctor slightly incredulously with a raised eyebrow. He bristled under her gaze.

"Well, like I said. They're just boring. If you don't use them it's more fun, like so." He said, and pulled the dematerialisation lever down. The TARDIS took off with its usual groaning, and River held onto the console quickly as it shook.

"Is it supposed to make that noise?" She asked and Aliya thought she sounded slightly worried. The Doctor and Aliya replied at the same time.

"Of course it is."

"Sort of, not really."

River shook her head. "Do you two agree on anything?" Aliya and the Doctor exchanged looks, the former rolling her eyes while the latter just stayed silent and thoughtful.

"Sometimes," Aliya replied with a shrug.

"But that's not important," The Doctor said, changing the subject. "I'm more interested to find out how much you know about us."

"Well, I know a bit about _you. _Last of the Time Lords, survivor and victor of the Time War, and someone very important to me in my future," River said as she eyed him. "Aliya, not so much. Your friend, who has also met me in my future. That's about it."

They landed not long after, and the three of them filed out of the doors and onto the surface of their destination.

"Oh, it's beautiful," Aliya said with a happy sigh. Since her ordeal inside the mountain, she had become a lot more appreciative of everything around her. After being surrounded by nothing but darkness, and nothing with a sign of life, being able to see the universe again still sometimes felt like a dream. "River, come have a look." River hurried down to the door. She saw the pristine landscape outside and grinned at Aliya before both of them ran out.

From the hill they had landed on, technologies that River didn't recognise could be seen in the forms of aircrafts and buildings. The air crafts zoomed around their heads, most of them heading to the large city located across the sparkling water and bridge.

Neither of the women noticed the Doctor follow them out and close the door of the TARDIS behind him until he spoke. "I came here with Martha, and Rose. Different times of course."

"Where is here? And when?" River asked.

"New Earth! When the Earth is destroyed in the year five billion, you humans have fled to other galaxies by then. You found this place, in the M87 galaxy. It has similar orbit, terrain, size atmosphere, making it the perfect place to rebuild Earth. Of course it has two moons, but that's nothing major. I think it's ten years after Martha and I left here." The Doctor rambled on, looking around. "And over there is New New York! Though technically it's more like the fifteenth. I'd go into a big long line, but I don't have the patience."

"So humans are still around in the year five hundred billion?" River said with slight amazement.

"River, humans survive longer than almost anyone else."

Aliya looked at the other woman and took in how surprised she was. "Why is that so difficult to believe?"

"Well, you know. At home, they all talk about how it's a wonder we've survived so long. We wouldn't have if so many people hadn't moved off to other planets in the early 22nd century. It's all thanks to Susie Fontana Brooke and all of her lot, I suppose." River said with a shrug. Aliya noticed the Doctor stiffen slightly at the mention of Susie, though did not know why. She turned her mind back to River's words.

"But why would they think that? It's completely illogical-" She started, and the Doctor cut across her hurriedly.

"Spoilers!" He warned her, and she reluctantly kept quiet.

"What's spoilers?" River asked curiously, and the Doctor felt strange having her ask the question. River Song...before her 'spoilers'...now that was just wrong. Although, being the knowledgeable one for once could potentially be a nice change of pace.

"You know we travel in time, and that we meet in the wrong order. I'm assuming you already know not to mention anything too specific about things you have done with me?" The Doctor at least hoped his older self had been smart enough to mention it.

"Yes, you did say something about it," River said with a smirk. "So I should say 'spoilers' when I can't give you the answer to a question."

"Yes... I mean, no!" The Doctor's indecision was caused by his reluctance to give her permission to use the word, that infuriating word that opened up more questions in his head than any other.

"He means yes," Aliya said. At that, River smiled slightly, her mind clearly thinking it over.

"Spoilers. I like that word," She said, her tongue testing it while her eyes ran over the Doctor, who just chuckled a little.

"I thought you might." He then clapped his hands together. "Anyway, what do you think?"

"It's beautiful, and the grass smells like apples," Aliya said with a contented sigh.

"It's great," River agreed. The Doctor looked pleased and adjusted his bowtie as he looked around the elegant city.

"Oh look, it's the hospital. I do love that hospital," He said fondly, "Good times. Plotting cat nuns, an evil piece of skin and clone zombies. Those were the days." The two blonde women stared at him with slightly raised eyebrows. "Let's go and have a look." He set off down the slope of apple grass

They caught up to him at the hospital doors, and he grinned at them as the three time travellers entered. The large entrance wing was shiny and spacious, with pearl blue walls and cat people in some sort of uniform walking around.

"They've redone it. Of course, they would have had to, considering the whole city rebuild." The Doctor said to himself. "I wonder…" He crossed to an information desk and asked the person behind it a question. He returned to River and Aliya looking pleased. "Come on you two…I want you to meet an old friend of mine." He led them over to a pair of elevators, but got a little distracted on the way.

"What now?" River asked him as he stopped and looked at something behind her.

"Sure, now they have a little shop," He muttered irritably before continuing, leaving River and Aliya puzzled. They stepped into the elevator. The Doctor looked up expectantly and cleared his throat.

"Just a warning-" He began to warn them of some unknown that soon became clear when the ceiling of the elevator began spraying them heavily with water. River gasped but started laughing at the same time that Aliya squealed. The Doctor smiled at their surprise and began washing himself as his companions got over their initial shock.

"What the hell is this?" River asked.

"Some sort of decontamination program," Aliya muttered while scrubbing her face absently. "But some warning would have been nice. It's all very well to learn about health protocols, living through them is an entirely different matter." It immediately switched to the full body dryer very similar to the one located in the TARDIS. The Doctor was enjoying the experience thoroughly, making sure his bowtie was dry all the way through before tending to the rest of his clothing. Aliya lifted up the skirt of her knee length green summer dress, trying to get the air underneath it without lifting it too high. She felt that her hot pink converse were doomed to be soaked forever, and moved one foot experimentally only to hear the dreaded squelching sound. She sighed and started to wring the water out of her hair while River brushed her clothing irritably.

After what seemed like a very strange and reasonably damp wait, the elevator doors opened onto a ward full of patients of various age, weight and species. The Doctor looked around the room until he spotted whatever it was he was looking for, which of course led to him striding towards it confidently. River and Aliya exchanged exasperated glances that were becoming more frequent before slowly following, though Aliya kept making River stop whenever she saw something interesting, which was almost everything.

Some time and many animated discussions with confused nurses and an enthusiastic blonde later, they reached the Doctor who was immersed in conversation with a cat women, whose fur was greying with age.

"So it's really you?" She was asking, looking him over in wonder. "First you don't age, and now you look younger. How is that fair?" She chuckled, but obviously intrigued.

"I think you'll find life isn't fair," He replied with a small smile. "But you're doing well! You've got the city up and running again, and even the hospital is back to its former glory. Without the clones, that is." The cat looked embarrassed.

"Yes, I still wonder if I will ever be forgiven for my naivety all those years ago," She said sadly.

"Clones?" River asked the Doctor, who acknowledged their presence for the first time.

"Oh yes, this is River," He pointed to the woman in question, "And Aliya." He indicated to the other blonde who smiled at the cat woman. "And this is Matron Hame. I knew her when she was just a Novice."

"Nice to meet you," Aliya said with a smile and Hame nodded politely.

"So she's like a doctor?" River asked, looking to the man of that name.

"As close as to how you can understand it, yes." He said casually. River raised an eyebrow at that and clearly wondered whether to get annoyed at what had sounded rather rude before deciding against it. Before anyone could say anything more, however, another cat person in Novice robes ran briskly up to Matron Hame.

"What is wrong, Novice Pachem?"

"Matron," she panted, "It's the AISP system. I think you need to see this."

Matron Hame looked visibly worried by the Novice's news, leading the three travellers to the same conclusion of the fact this was not a regular occurrence. "If you will excuse me for a few minutes," She said quickly, making her leave to go, "I must attend to this." She paused and sighed. "Unless...you have helped us before in the past, Doctor. Perhaps you would assist us again now."

"I'd be happy to try, and Aliya and River are pretty brilliant in themselves. What kind of trouble is it?" He asked.

"A kind I had hoped to avoid and one that has kept me awake many nights in worry," She replied gravely.

"So something quite dangerous, then? That's my specialty. Lead the way." Hame nodded curtly and led them out of the ward, still looking worried. Through a maze of corridors and through a hidden door with a complicated combination that even the Doctor could not pick up, the four of them entered a room full of maintenance and security equipment. The white walls were almost entirely covered with screens and scanners and all manner of technology.

"Welcome to Android Invasion Scanner and Protection," Hame said as the travellers looked around the vast collection of panels and screens that were beeping at various frequencies.

"Androids? Do they help around the hospital?" Aliya asked, examining the nearest panel with interest and finding nothing that supported her guess.

"I wish it were that simple," The Matron replied.

"You said android invasion," River noted, glancing at the equipment. "Are you expecting an attack?" Matron Hame sighed heavily and crossed the room to a panel showing a diagram of a complex machine.

"Two years ago, androids were released into the city. They have been very helpful filling in small jobs that humans find tedious and counterproductive. They also run vast parts of the city, and their survival is becoming quite a priority in New New York. But six months ago, some of the programming went wrong. We're still not entirely sure what happened, and the reports we got from the technicians weren't making sense. The androids got out of hand and killed three people inside a factory. Since then, there have been an increasing number of very similar incidents. People are dying out there, and the androids are behind it. The Senate felt that while they could not afford to shut down the androids, ignoring the dangers of the situation would be unwise," Hame explained.

"Well at least they have some sense," The Doctor put in.

"So if they didn't ignore the danger, what did they do about it?" River asked Hame curiously. The whole story was incredibly exciting to her, and the 51st century woman was eager to get involved.

"Last year a vast transmitter was constructed. When activated, it would broadcast a signal that would permanently deactivate the androids all over the city."

"But what has that got to do with the hospital? You're not exactly the people who get involved in this sort of thing." Aliya asked Matron Hame in confusion.

"They decided that the transmitter had to be placed in a secret location where no one could find it," Hame said, sounding resigned.

"Let me guess, they hid it here," The Doctor worked out, and she nodded.

"I told them hospitals were for healing people affected by destruction, not hiding weapons that created it. 'Which is exactly why they won't look for it in the Hospital,' they told me. Now we have to constantly look out for attacks from androids."

"Let me guess, android numbers and attacks are going up and you're getting worried," River guessed and the cat woman nodded. Matron Hame crossed to the scanner section of the equipment to look at the readings that had sent the Novice her way in the first place.

"I had feared for this," She said solemnly, but the fear and panic in her eyes was badly disguised. The Doctor bent down to examine the screen and Aliya did the same on his left side, their faces inches from the screen.

"Concentrated android readings everywhere."

"They look like they're all positioned to advance on the hospital, like a lopsided circle around us," Aliya noted with concern.

"But surely all you have to do is wait for them to attack, and then deactivate them?" River said, as though it was obvious.

Hame frowned and looked worried. "We all wish it were so simple. Only three members of the Senate can activate it, and none of them are here."

"But if we have the TARDIS, couldn't we go and get one of them?" River said.

"And take it near hostile androids? No chance. There are transmats that will do fine." The Doctor said testily in a defence for his TARDIS that was not uncommon.

"I think we better go sooner than later," Aliya suggested, "Where's the nearest transmat?"

Hame explained it was some distance from the hospital. "I think out of the three able to help, your best chance is Rahmel Decairo. I know for a fact she is at an important social gathering in the city centre." She gave them co-ordinates for the transmat closest to the location, and the Doctor, Aliya and River exited the hospital with a new sense of excitement.

"So this is how he gets himself into so much trouble, then. I knew he was a time meddler, but this is something else," The latter said.

"Oi! I am not a time meddler! I help people!"

"By meddling," Aliya said, and he just ignored her.

They trudged along the neat path and soon came across a large blue bullet shaped object large enough for a person to fit inside. So one by one entered it to be transmatted. Aliya – the last – was about to enter the pod when she thought she saw something in the distance on the long runway used by hovercrafts, pedestrians and almost every form of transport. She frowned and squinted to try and get a better look at it. It was humanoid, but that was all she could make out.

She shook off her feeling of unease and told herself she was being silly, though made a mental note to mention it to the Doctor just in case. She entered the transmat pod and experienced the strange tickling sensation that came with teleportation that wasn't Gallifreyan.

When she exited the pod she arrived in, the Doctor was waiting impatiently with River. "Come along, Aliya, we haven't got all day. We can stop and enjoy the scenery later. Right now we have more important things to do." He said, and she decided to not even bothering to correct him, and to tell him about the sinister figure on the road later.

The Doctor led them to the site of the party where they would find Rahmel, and up an elevator to the main room.

The scene before them was a formal gathering with a dance floor in the middle. The females were wearing fine dresses and the men suits. The band started up a slow song, and some of the people began to pair off and begin to slow dance. Aliya smiled, an idea forming in her head.

"Now you two," She said to the Doctor and River, her mischievous grin warranting suspicion in the Doctor's head, "So as to not bring attention to ourselves, I think that you should dance while I find Rahmel."

"Can he dance?" River asked cautiously, giving the Doctor a wary look that was not entirely unjustified.

"Hey!"

"Well, it's a fair question," River defended.

"I _think _he can," Aliya said, unsure of the truth.

"Oh, what the hell. Come on, Doctor. Let's dance." River grabbed his hand and led him to the dance floor while he gave Aliya a glare he didn't really mean over his shoulder.

The archaeologist-to-be and the Time Lord managed to strike up a sort of abstract waltz, with River leading and the Doctor doing his best to not standing on her feet, though improving rapidly. "It's been a while since I've done this," He said thoughtfully. "Was it World War II? No. No, it was France, Versailles, to be precise. So a _really _long time, which explains why I'm not very good at it anymore."

"Excuses, excuses," River said with a smirk. Aliya smiled quietly to herself and turned away from the reasonably happy pair. She spotted an elderly cat man sipping a drink, and sought him out.

"Excuse me, but I was wondering if you would be able to point out Rahmel Decairo to me?" She asked, smiling and hoping there wasn't some sort of protocol for this sort of thing. He coughed into a handkerchief.

"Yes, of course, Ma'am." He complied. "Just over there, she is." He pointed to a woman with her back to them, one who did not seem human, which did not seem surprising on this planet.

Aliya thanked him and crossed the room. "Rahmel Decairo?" She asked, and the woman turned around.

"Rah - that would be me - Mel." The woman was humanoid, but with distinct insect qualities, such as her antennas and blue-green skin colour. She had no hair but a large head that resembled such a thing instead. Aliya thought she was absolutely beautiful.

"Good," Aliya said with a large smile which was abruptly returned to her. "My name is Aliya, and I need your help."

"Rah – How may I be of service – Mel?" The Malmooth said with the protocol of having to say the first part of their names at the beginning of each sentence, and the second part at the end.

"My friends and I were sent here by Matron Hame," Rahmel instant became a little tenser at the mention of the cat woman, "Concerning the machine inside the hospital." Aliya said, and Rahmel's eyes were a little wary as she leaned in, looking around to check no one was listening.

"Rah – That is extremely classified information – Mel." She whispered. "Rah – Matron Hame is not one to break such protocols – Mel."

"Then shouldn't that tell you that I'm trustworthy, and that she only would have told my friends and I about it if she was sure we could help?" Aliya whispered back, hoping that the other woman saw it that way.

"Rah – Perhaps- Mel," She replied, "Rah – Why has she sent you – Mel?"

"The android attacks have been becoming more frequent and there have been more sightings of them. The scanner in the hospital is picking up signals that practically have the hospital surrounded. We can only assume they plan to break in and sabotage the machine, so they can never be stopped," Aliya explained, and Rahmel looked increasingly disturbed by the news.

"Rah – This is extremely bad. I assume she wishes for me to activate the machine, and eliminate the threat – Mel?" Rahmel guessed accurately, and Aliya nodded, seeing that she was indeed a sharp woman. She should be, considering her influential position. She couldn't abide idiotic or bigoted people in positions of power.

"A hospital should not have to be constantly worried about hostile android attacks when it should be looking after its patients. It's completely unethical!" She said.

"Rah – I most fully agree – Mel." Rahmel whispered with a nod of her own – rather magnificent – head, her mandibles twitching. "Rah – But my vote was overruled by the Senate – Mel. Rah- introduce me to your friends, and we shall go – Mel. Rah – This ends now – Mel."

"Come with me," Aliya said, and led Rahmel through the room to where the Doctor and River were dancing, River laughing whenever the Doctor fell out of step.

The Doctor saw the two of them over River's shoulder, and stopped the dance to hurry over with his dance partner in tow. "Hello, you must be Rahmel," He said, shaking her hand. "I'm the Doctor, and this is River."

"Rah – indeed – Mel. Rah – It is a pleasure to meet you both – Mel." Rahmel said with a warm smile.

"Good…though I think the big question is, are you going to help us, Rahmel?"

"Rah – I shall do everything in my power to right this wrong – Mel." She replied with determination, and he smiled.

"Rahmel Decairo," He said with a grin, "I like you already." He turned to leave the building. "Come along, River, Aliya." He and River set off for the exit first.

"He means you too, don't worry," Aliya assured Rahmel as they walked some way behind the other two. But before she could say anything else, the communicator Matron Hame had given them began to beep and so the Doctor opened the com.

"_Doctor?" _The voice on the other end sounded worried, but as though they were trying to remain calm.

"Yes, I'm here. We've got Rahmel, don't worry, we'll be there soon, Matron," He said into it, but the voice on the other end did not sound overly reassured.

"_Good, but you need to get back as soon as you possibly can!" _She said with an urgent tone.

"Why, what's happened?"

"_The androids. They've started moving towards the hospital! They're coming." _


	21. New New Danger: Terror

"You know, I never will underestimate the power of a secret tunnel." River said with a smirk as the section of the wall slid back to reveal a hidden passage.

Under Matron Hame's instruction, the four of them had proceeded to an abandoned building were a hidden underground route that led to the hospital basement had been made many years before. This was now to be used again as the advancing androids made it impossible to return to the hospital the way they had left it.

"If you did, I don't think I would be able to help being a little disappointed." The Doctor replied as he took his eyes away from the slightly dark hole to smile at her.

"Rah – There are many of these throughout the city – Mel." Rahmel said as she gazed into the passage without much fear. "Rah – They are to be used to help escort people of high rank to safety in times of danger – Mel."

"They even had them on-" Aliya stopped before she said the word Gallifrey, because the Doctor shot her an odd warning look. "-I mean, back home." She shot him a questioning look back, but he just shook his head.

"Only planets which have never seen war don't have secret passages, and anyone who says differently is naïve or a liar, or both," He said. "Come on, best to get going." He led the way into the tunnel and the others followed. Aliya came last, eyeing the dim light of the tunnel warily. They walked along quickly in a cluster, the only thing keeping them from total darkness the lamps suspended from the ceiling which provided decent enough light.

"I don't like this…" Aliya said with unease as she looked at the lamps. She was unsure why she was so edgy. Her voice echoed continuously through the seemingly endless tunnel.

"Why, what's wrong?" River asked.

"I don't know, which is half of the reason that I don't like it."

"Aliya, we don't have time for you to be nervous about things that aren't there. We have a hospital to save." The Doctor continued with ease and the Time Lady kept her thoughts to herself.

"Rahmel, is this a straight tunnel or are there others attached to it?" The Doctor asked as they walked, aiming his sonic screwdriver up the walls.

"Rah – there is an entire network below the city; they all connect at different points – Mel." The Malmooth replied. "Rah – I am not dressed very appropriately for these activities – Mel." She said, looking down at her dark full length formal cocktail dress that showed off her figure well with the thin straps and scooped neckline, but would have completely restricted her movement were it not for the elegant slit up her left leg, as it hugged her figure tightly.

"The stilettos can't help," Aliya commented dryly, and Rahmel nodded her agreement.

"Why does Rahmel talk the way she does?" River asked the Doctor quietly.

"It's the custom of their people to say their name in that way when they speak. To not do so would be considered rude, the way you consider swearing but more offensive." He explained, and she nodded slowly, thinking it quite interesting.

A chilly wind suddenly swept through the tunnel, causing all of them to shiver, particularly Rahmel and Aliya who were both limited in the warm clothing department. Aliya hugged herself and rubbed her arms in an attempt to warm herself up. Time Lords had a naturally cooler body temperature, meaning they were good at withstanding heat but not so much the cold. Though extremes of both were still very dangerous.

Amongst the echoes of their own voices, there was a sound underneath the Doctor was sure he could hear. "Shut up, all of you." He said sharply, and Aliya opened her mouth to come out with some offhand comment but he covered her mouth, and that was when she knew he was completely serious. He held up his hand to River and Rahmel to make sure they also understood to stay quiet.

Noises that were not their own echoed slightly before disappearing after a few minutes of silence from the four adventures.

"Are they gone?" Aliya whispered.

"Rah- it would seem so – Mel."

"So if we're not the only ones in here," River said quickly, "Then I think we can take that as a sign that we need to hurry up."

Rahmel, Aliya and River all looked at the Doctor for confirmation. He said nothing but kept his eyes on the light on top of them, and they noticed for the first time it had begun to flicker faintly. They followed the path his eyes took with their own as it travelled down the passage, where all the lights were flickering with increasing intensity.

"They're going out," River said warily, looking at them with concern.

"Oh really? I hadn't noticed." The Doctor snapped at her. "We need to get moving, it will be hard to move when we can't see and if we don't get to the hospital then hundreds of people are going to die. All of you, run."

The four of them ran, with Rahmel at the back because of the stilettos and dress. Suddenly the lights went out altogether, leaving them in total darkness. There could have been someone right next to them or miles away and they would never be able to tell the difference.

Through the darkened air Aliya's scream of completely genuine terror rang out, hanging around their heads. There was a thump as she hit the ground, her legs having given out on her. The noises she was making were between screams and sobs. River had never heard someone that had sounded more afraid in her life.

"Doctor!" Aliya managed to get out, "Doctor!" She called for him, said his name like a lifeline.

The Doctor followed the sound of her desperate screams and when he found her he knelt next to her quivering form. He felt around until he had her violently shaking hands in his own grasp. "Aliya, what's wrong?"

"The darkness, the silence, it's back. It's choking me, the darkness…" She made a choking noise in her throat as she breathed in harshly.

"Show me what you mean," The Doctor whispered to her and her fingers travelled to his temples.

_The eternal darkness…t__he hallway, the flickering lights, and the growing sense of dread she could not explain…_

_It was back, the never-ending darkness. It was coming for her, closing in…coming to trap her again in the void of deafening silence..._

"Oh Ali," He said softly, wrapping his arms around her as she leaned into him for comfort, still sobbing quietly. "What has it done to you?"

"Rah- I do not understand – Mel," Rahmel said with hurried concern. "Rah- what is wrong with her – Mel?"

"Why is she scared of the dark?" River asked with curious concern. "Those of us with common sense know there is nothing to be feared from it." She continued, almost sounding and sceptical of Aliya's fear.

"River, if you had even the tiniest ounce of an idea of the reason behind why she is so obviously terrified you would never have said that," The Doctor said simply, sounding as though he was trying not to be angry. He began singing to Aliya in Gallifreyan, a song he had sung to her many times. It was one of love and comfort and not being alone. In their first bodies it had been a regular occurrence, something to do as they stargazed under the orange sky. There had been other times too, but he shut them out and remembered the times of friendship and nothing else.

Despite his singing not being perfect nor his voice particularly talented, he felt her slowly relax a little under the familiar words. He took her firmly and began to lift her up onto her feet again, and moved with her as she took shaky steps. "Can you keep going?" He asked, no longer singing. She gripped his hand harder.

"I don't know," She whispered fearfully, "Maybe." She began singing the song to herself, and it echoed softly through the tunnel, sounding considerably more harmonious than the Doctor's own attempt at it.

"What language is that? Ancient Celtic? Gaelic?" River asked in awe of the beautiful words that flowed like unearthly music. To the human woman it sounded like the very language of the universe, though she did not say so for fear of sounding sentimental.

"It's the language of my planet." The Doctor said as he led the way with a still rigid and quietly singing Aliya by his side through the darkness, gripping his hand tightly.

"And she knows it?"

"I taught it to her. Just as one day I will teach it to you." It was half a lie, but from where the Doctor stood he believed it to be much safer if someone like River did not know Aliya's true identity. While his friends on 21st century Earth were aware of whom she was, they were people he could trust completely and they were not as likely to exploit the identity of Aliya in the face of a foe who may wish harm on one or both of the remaining Time Lords. Not that River would, but the timelines made it complicated, and things could slip out. The fewer people who knew of Aliya's true origin the safest she was. He pointed the sonic screwdriver upwards in hope the lights would switch back on but was not surprised to find it was deadlocked. They continued through the passage for a few more minutes before Aliya stopped suddenly, her voice trailing off.

"Rahmel?" She asked with fearful anticipation. There was no answer, and when the Doctor and River realised her intentions they willed themselves to hear the strange 'Rah' and 'Mel' that came with the beautiful Malmooth's words.

The silence seemed to swarm again, and Aliya spoke again to keep it at bay. "Only three steps of footsteps," She said simply, her voice quiet. "It's been that way for at least three minutes now."

"She's a target," River said what they all already knew as Aliya began humming to herself nervously again. "If they kill all three of the people able to activate the machine, they'd be almost impossible to stop."

"That's why they put us into darkness, to isolate us," The Doctor said, "River, come take my other hand. I can't risk them snatching you too." River followed his voice until his large hand grabbed her own. She enjoyed the intimacy as his fingers laced through hers.

The three time-travellers walked blindly through the darkness, Aliya's singing the only thing keeping the sense of loneliness at bay.

After a while they realised the floor they were walking on had begun to slope upwards. Aliya pulled them along, seeing it as a way out and desperate to get out of the darkness that haunted her memories. Unfortunately for her she hit a solid steel wall, causing her to hit the sloped ground, where the Doctor had to help the groaning Time Lady up. He got out his sonic and used it to open the hatch, which slid open to reveal the brightly lit hospital ASIP room. Aliya ran through first, her hands on the sterile white floor as if it were the most glorious water in the world and she had just returned from a long trip in the desert. She breathed a sigh of relief and leant back on the floor, looking at the plain ceiling, breathing heavily.

"Better?" The Doctor asked her. She smiled weakly.

"Much," Aliya replied. "Sorry about all the screaming…and crying…um…oh, Rassilon this is embarrassing." She sat up and gave the Doctor what she hoped was an apologetic expression. He knelt beside her and gave her a tender smile.

"I'm just glad you're okay," He said reassuringly before getting to his feet.

"I am glad you have returned to us, Doctor. There is not much time. But why is there talk of distress, and screaming and crying?" Matron Hame said, eyeing the blonde who was still on the floor and rubbing her face in an attempt to bring herself back into a sensible state of mind.

"They turned out the lights. We were in complete darkness, and Aliya, well, she's terrified of it, practically catatonic, it would seem. But I'm sorry, we lost Rahmel. We think they took her, the androids," The Doctor explained, and looked apologetic at the mention of the Malmooth.

Matron Hame looked incredibly worried. "Another of the three arrived here just as you left with injuries. A group of androids managed to get inside the hospital and kill him. We were able to disable the androids individually, but there are still hundreds all around the hospital waiting to attack."

"Why haven't you just contacted the rest of the city? Surely they could help?" River inquired.

"They've cut the communication network, just after we got the last message through to you. We're on our own," Hame replied gravely. Meanwhile, Aliya was getting to her feet and she and River were approaching the Doctor and Hame to join the conversation. "And the last of the three able to help us has been reported dead in his own home."

"Is there any way to activate the machine without them?" Aliya asked as she was determined to try and fix what she felt she had caused to be broken. If she had not been so scared of the dark - like a primitive child, she thought to herself - and she hadn't been making such a fuss the androids would not have been able to take Rahmel without being noticed.

"I do not think that the makers of the machine would leave us an easy option, but it's not an impossible thought." Matron Hame said thoughtfully. A voice suddenly called out from behind the panel that the Doctor, River and Aliya had used to enter the room.

"Help! Can you let me in?" Came the muffled voice of Rahmel.

Aliya pulled out her sonic and the passage entrance opened to reveal the blue and green skinned woman in the cocktail dress. Aliya helped her out and hugged her quickly. "We thought we'd lost you!" Aliya said happily as she pulled away.

"I got lost in the dark. I'm sorry if I worried you." Rahmel replied.

"Thank you for coming to help, Miss Decairo," Matron Hame said gratefully with much relief.

"You are most welcome. Shall we proceed?" The Malmooth suggested, and it was met with nods. Hame led the way to a hidden elevator that she told them led to the basement where the cancelling device was kept. They stood in the elevator in silence, and River was incredibly relieved when she was not sprayed with water on this particular ride, she could not help but still have a feeling of unease, something she could not shake off no matter how hard she tried.

The doors slid open to reveal a typical basement that in the middle of the room contained a not so typical piece of equipment. They all walked forward into it, all taking in the sights except for River, who was watching the also seemingly uninterested Rahmel, who looked upon the place with an almost blank expression. Aliya, the Doctor and Matron Hame all snapped their attention back to the other two when they heard the noise that could not be mistaken as a gun loading.

Their eyes met with a strange sight; instead of seeing a hostile stranger as they had expected, they saw only River, a mison blaster pointed directly at Rahmel. The Malmooth had a reasonably blank expression, though a little hostility was present.

"River, put the gun down," The Doctor attempted to coax her, but River didn't move, only steadied her hand.

"She not who you think she is. Ever since she came back she's been wrong," She said firmly. "Have you been paying attention? Listening to her?"

"What do you-" Aliya began to ask in confusion, but was cut off when Rahmel stretched out an arm as fast as lightning and pulled her in, her deceivingly strong arm like steel around the olive skinned neck of the woman who had been hugging her not long before.

"Put the gun down, or the woman dies," Rahmel said in an almost monotonic voice.

The Doctor understood now. "Of course, how did I miss it? I'm thick, far too thick. I'm getting old. I could feel there was something wrong, and there it was, staring me right in the face," He said, smacking himself in the forehead in what appeared to the others a reasonably painful manner, a conclusion supported by the fact he rubbed his head afterwards.

"If it makes you feel any better, Doctor," Aliya said with a strained voice while her arms fruitlessly tried to force the arm holding her captive to free her, "I didn't even notice at all, and I'm younger than you."

Matron Hame searched through her mind to find the answer the other three had all already reached, and found it. She remembered the only other time she had met Rahmel, and how interested she had been in Malmooth speech patterns. Most of them stayed on Malcassairo, meaning seeing one was a rarity even in these times.

In the whole time since her return, Rahmel had not uttered a single 'Rah', or 'Mel'.

"Yes, that's true. You're normally good at noticing things, Aliya, so why didn't you this time?" The Doctor asked with interest.

"I don't know. Too worried about my stupid and highly obstructive fear of the dark, I suppose. Does it matter?" She said, not for the first time considering questioning his sanity.

"Everything matters." He said simply. "But prioritising, that's how we get things done." He seemed more enthusiastic now. "So, I think we were right after all, you were captured by the androids. And when I say you, I mean Rahmel. Rahmel was captured, and they made you, her android replica. They got the looks, and even the voice, but the words were what mattered. Because when her speech pattern was replicated to give you her voice, they made a big mistake. They were only androids, with no idea of Malmooth custom. But we know, and that's what gave you away. Those little words, the two parts of her name that may seem insignificant, but to her they were the most important words in her life. And it's a good thing you didn't take them from her, or I would have been very angry." He took a breath before continuing, his eyes never once leaving the android or Aliya. "Now, the question is how we are going to sort this out, because you still have my friend, and I would like her back. Alive." The Doctor's rant was now over and he was starting to get what Aliya knew - and what River would come to know - as 'The Oncoming Storm' expression.

"I'll take care of that," River said, and before he could stop her, fired her gun. With a slightly metallic sound of impact the bullet went straight through the central control system that was based in the android Rahmel's forehead.

The android fell backwards, pulling Aliya with it down to the floor as it hit the steel with a crash.

"Why did you do that?" The Doctor asked River impatiently. "That was completely unnecessary." He approached the android to help Aliya out of the still rigid arm that was confining her, not seeing the frown on the face of the woman holding the still smoking gun.

"Well it worked, didn't it?" River responded indignantly at his anger. "It's dead, she's alive. Am I missing something here?"

"He hates guns," Aliya informed the other woman as she waved the Doctor's hand away, not needing help to get to her feet. "Even when they save someone's life he still can't stand them. Claims there is always another way."

"I saved your life." River said flatly, confused.

"I know you did, and while you can't expect any thanks from him, know that you at least have my gratitude." The other blonde acknowledged with a small smile and a nod. "I'm not as opposed to guns as he is." When this gained her a glare from the Doctor, she defended herself. "I said 'as'! I still don't like them; I just have the sense to admit they do come in handy sometimes." The Doctor still didn't look happy. "Look, even you can't say there isn't at least one circumstance in the whole universe and all of its time zones where a gun was the only option."

"Just try and stop me," He said stubbornly, and Aliya rolled her eyes.

"I think now that we know that we no longer have Rahmel, we must either find the real one and bring her here or do our best to try and activate the machine without her." Matron Hame said hurriedly, interrupting what she viewed as an argument for a completely different time and place. "I leave the choice up to you, Doctor."

"Good, thank you. Now, I say we find the real Rahmel," The Doctor said firmly.

"She might not even be alive! We have no idea what those androids might have done to her," River argued, seeing their chances of success as unlikely.

"Normally I would agree, but, an android that advanced would require some sort of life feed from the original source, which means she is probably still alive, and I can't possibly ignore that," The Doctor told them and led the way back into the elevator.

"I shall remain here and continue to defend the hospital. I have patients to protect." Hame said.

"Right then, River, Aliya, let's go." The Doctor commanded as he nodded at the matron. He took both of their hands and moved towards the hatch that led back into the tunnel.

Aliya's arm stretched out in front of her and the Doctor's right arm that was joined with it stretched behind him until he realised she was completely unmoving, staring at him solemnly. As their eyes met he saw the soft determination in her eyes but did not let go of her hand. "Aliya," He said firmly. "Come on."

"No. I'm staying here," She said with calm resilience.

"I'm not leaving you behind," He insisted, pulling on her hand, which she then snatched out of his grasp.

"If you think for one second," She began slowly, the calm mostly holding in her voice but a slight edge of hysteria creeping in, "That I am going back in there…"

The Doctor's green eyes softened a little when he realised what she meant. "You'll have me. You did it before, you can do it again." He tried to persuade her, but she shook her head.

"I did it before because I didn't have a choice, because if I didn't I would be stuck there longer, stuck in my nightmares. And it killed me, to have to do that." She said forcefully, and put her chin up.

"I'm not leaving you here." The Doctor would not give up.

River watched the two of them with worry. Although they had both told her when she had first met them that they were not a couple -something she had to admit to herself she was quite secretly pleased about - it was obvious they had a very close relationship, though it would seem – judging from the new information unfolding before her eyes – it was a rather tenuous one that didn't always go smoothly.

"I'm not a child!" Aliya shouted in frustration, "So stop treating me like one!"

"I'll need your help."

"You'll have River. She's more than enough. They could use my help here."

"You'll speed us up."

"I'd slow you down. You'd practically have to carry me kicking and screaming the whole way. Not exactly the subtle approach to breaking into an enemy's secret lair."

The Doctor sighed in defeat. "Fine then, have it your way."

Aliya smiled at him in what she hoped was a reassuring way. "Thank you. Now go, before it's too late. Good luck." He nodded stiffly and used the sonic to open the hatch before pulling River through it with him. Aliya turned to smile at Matron Hame. "Now what do you want me to do?"

Hame set her to work around the hospital putting up the defences with her sonic, as well as other various duties such as checking on patients.

* * *

The Doctor and River walked hand in hand through the pitch black tunnel.

"What happened to Aliya? To make her afraid of the dark?" River asked to break the silence.

"Oh, that, well it's quite an interesting story, and…" He began enthusiastically before trailing off.

"And…?" River prompted, but she heard him clear his throat meaningfully.

"And not a story to be told now." He finished.

"Doctor, we're walking through a tunnel and we can't see a thing, all we can do is talk. Why not now?" She sounded sceptical.

"Because! It's just not the right time."

"Oh really? When is the right time?"

"I don't know…someday."

There was a sigh followed by a pause. "Did you ever intend to tell me?"

"Not exactly."

"Yes, or no."

"Well…no."

"Will you ever tell me?"

"Maybe. It's a dangerous story, a powerful one, and on a slightly more serious note not exactly mine to tell in the first place."

"Will she tell me?"

"Probably, if I let her."

After that the subject seemed to be closed. The Doctor took his sonic screwdriver out and they were both comforted by the little green light.

"What are you doing?" River asked cautiously, still holding onto his hand as they carefully treaded through the darkness.

"Using the sonic waves to lead us down the right tunnel so we can get to Rahmel without getting lost."

Under the direction of the screwdriver, they walked until they found a door (which was only barely discernable because of the sonic's light), which the screwdriver opened with little effort. It opened into a lit corridor, and it was so bright compared to the constant darkness their eyes had become accustomed to that they had to blink several times before they were able to see anything.

River thought she heard the sound of Rahmel's voice, the now comforting sound of the 'Rah' and 'Mel'. What was not comforting was that she seemed to be pleading.

"Doctor, I think it's this way." She said, pulling him along in the direction of the voice.

They stopped in front of another door, behind which Rahmel certainly was. Before River could stop him and ask him if he had lost his mind (which definitely ran through her head), he used the sonic to open the door and strode in like he owned the place. River followed in almost stunned disbelief, wondering how anyone could ever be this stupid yet obvious brilliant.

Had Aliya been there, the Time Lady would have been able to explain to the human woman that this was normal for the Doctor, practically routine. However this was not the case and River mentally prepared herself for impending doom.

"Rah – Doctor – Mel!" Rahmel said anxiously from the chair which she was helplessly bound to. The worn and tired expression in her face showed she had obviously been struggling against her bindings for a while, but still had not stopped. "Rah – They made a copy of me – Mel!"

"We know. It's dead," River said bluntly. The Doctor tossed her the sonic screwdriver. "What are you giving me this for?" She asked, confused.

"To free her, obviously." He rolled his eyes. "But how about we have a nice little chat to whoever is running this whole thing, hm?" He was now shouting out to the vast room full of machinery. "Come out; come out, wherever you are!"

A man entered the room from the top left entrance on the balcony at the back on the room. "I don't much care for hide and seek, Doctor. Is that what you're called?" He said with an oily voice.

"For someone who doesn't like hide and seek, I must say you're awfully good at the hiding part. All of this, hidden in the secret tunnels below the city? I'd almost be impressed." The Doctor said with a charming smile, and River suspected he was anything but happy right now.

"I'm glad you like it," The man replied equally politely.

"Are you an android, or human?" River asked him as she helped Rahmel out of the chair.

"Human, naturally." He said. "Androids are all very well, but someone had to give them that little first nudge. Oh, and don't bother trying to escape. That mechanism around the door generates a deadlock seal, so whatever trickery you used to get inside will be no help to you now. And Miss Decairo, I will need you return so I can kill you."

"Rah – you have a funny way of persuading someone to let down their defences – Mel," Rahmel said coldly, though clearly nervous.

"I never needed you without defences; I was merely informing you of what was going to happen. And you two, stop whispering. You cannot escape." The man said in an almost bored tone.

"Now that's where you're wrong." River said, walking forward a little. "Because I don't know this man very well yet. But I know that one day I will. But in the short time I have known him I have quickly learnt three very important things."

"Oh really?" The man on the balcony replied, looking only mildly curious and more irritated than anything else. "And what might that be?"

"First of all, he's completely mad."

"Oi!"

She ignored him. "Second of all, he does this sort of thing like a lifestyle."

"Rah – really – Mel?" Rahmel asked worriedly.

"Thirdly, he's brilliant."

The Doctor smiled and whipped a slingshot out of his pocket, pulling the elastic back and letting whatever he had used as a projectile fly out. It ricocheted all around the room at a rather dangerous speed until finally it slammed straight into the head of the man who had been threatening them.

He blinked in surprise before losing consciousness.

River and the Doctor set to work on the deadlock mechanism, pulling all the wires out and River giving the box a blast with her gun for good measure and ignoring the Doctor's look of annoyance.

"Rah – what are you doing – Mel?" Rahmel asked them. "Rah – he said there was no way out – Mel."

"If we can damage this machinery enough, the deadlock will break and the Doctor can open it with the sonic." River explained as she pulled fiercely on a particularly stubborn lever. The door made a groaning sound.

"That seems to have done it," The Doctor said, and his thoughts were confirmed when the door opened with a simple click of the sonic. A noise from the balcony alerted them to the fact that the man was waking up.

"Out! Now!" The Doctor yelled, and the three of them ran back through the corridor until they reached the door that would take them back to the tunnel.

Once it was open they ran through, quickly submerged into darkness.

"Rah – I had forgotten how dark it was in here – Mel," Rahmel said nervous as they quickly began to move. Despite the small light of the sonic leading them back to the hospital, it was still disconcerting to know so little about your surroundings.

"Oh, right, I almost forgot! Remembered this thing when I was digging around for the slingshot," The Doctor said proudly, pulling out a large torch and flicking it on. The tunnel was still dim, but they could at least partially see where they were walking, and each other.

"And you didn't get that out the moment the lights went out because…?" River asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I was too busy trying to stop my friend from screaming and having a complete mental breakdown. Sorry if that caused me to forget," The Doctor retorted irritably.

"It would have helped her!" River argued.

"Look, there's no point arguing about it now! We're almost there and now we can see, so run!" He said forcefully and passed the torch to her before grabbing both of their hands and pulling them along as he ran.

* * *

Aliya stood in the middle of the now empty reception. All of the patients had been moved to high security wards and all staff had been placed with them. It was almost eerie how empty and quiet it was, excluding the fact there were hundreds of androids outside the hospital doors, practically right in front of the glass. She watched them, waiting. Armed with nothing but a sonic screwdriver, she knew it wasn't her smartest plan but didn't care.

An android at the front of the line drove its hand through the glass, smashing a hole big enough to step through before entering the reception. Even though she done her best to prepare herself for fighting them Aliya's hearts still beat too fast. Her nerves were getting to her. She ran to one of the reception desks until she found a filing cabinet. It may be completely different from one found in the 21st century, but served the same purpose.

She rolled the heavy item out, thankful it had wheels. She pushed with as much force as she could at the androids (who were conveniently standing in a single file line as they were entering through the hole), and pushed all of them back through it, crushing any android that got in its path.

Aliya estimated she had probably taken down about ten, but knew it was reasonably insignificant as more simply came through the glass anyway. She backed away towards the elevators as they made their way closer to her, and looked around before spotting a large light that could serve a useful purpose. She pointed the sonic upwards and watched with a moment's relief as the light came crashing down, taking four androids with it.

As the others who had not been hit kept advancing, she reached her hand back to press the elevator button while keeping her sonic pointed at her enemies.

"For Rassilon's sake, why can't you be a little more helpful?" She said to her screwdriver in exasperation. "I mean I have nothing against sonic, but right now, a laser screwdriver would be so much more useful!"

The elevator pinged just in time and she backed into it and closed the door just before an android got its hand in. Aliya sighed in relief and leaned against the wall, randomly being grateful that Matron Hame had disabled the decontamination showers in the elevators. The elevator doors opened again and she dashed out, running to find Hame.

"Matron! They're in!" She yelled, running into AISP room. Matron Hame frowned deeply, obviously trying to keep a cool head. She was saved from having to be too staunch when the panel in the wall slid open to reveal the Doctor, River and Rahmel.

"Rahmel! The androids are in the hospital, we've got to go now!" Aliya said quickly, grabbing the Malmooth's hand and pulling her along in a sprint to the elevator, and they were followed by the Doctor, River and Matron Hame. Just as the elevator to the basement opened, one from the ground floor containing androids arrived.

"Go!" Aliya yelled, and they hurried in and closed the door before the androids could get in.

"My Novices…" Hame said with worry.

"I'm sorry, but if we don't do this then _everyone_ will die, we're going to have to hope they can take care of themselves," The Doctor said.

The elevator opened into the basement. "Rah – What do I do – Mel?" Rahmel asked in a panicked tone. Matron Hame led her quickly to a panel with three hand prints outlined on the screen.

"One of these is yours. All you have to do is place your hand on it." She explained.

Rahmel studied the prints before lowering her hand onto the hand outline on the far right. Sounds of movement and screaming stopped.

"Did it work?" River asked.

"There's only one way to find out." The Doctor said, and they all piled back into the elevator. When they left it, they saw bodies of androids all over the ground. They heard sobbing coming from the direction of the AISP room, and Matron Hame hurried in with the others on her heels. The cat woman covered her mouth in a pain filled gasp as she saw the bodies on the floor, nuns in their uniforms.

One Novice remained alive, sitting amongst the bodies of the androids and her fellow sisters. She was sobbing over one of the bodies (the three travellers recognised the body as that of Novice Pachem, the one who had brought them the news of the android attack), and Hame made her way to her and hugged her in a way that conveyed she shared the same pain.

"Matron, they just came, and we tried to stop them but we couldn't! I fought the one coming at me with a broken lever, but all the others were dead…and then they just stopped. I'm guessing the machine was activated?" She said in between sobs.

"Yes. It's over." Hame said gently. The young Novice looked at Rahmel with tear filled eyes.

"Thank you," she said, "You saved my life."

"Rah – It was the least I could do – Mel," Rahmel said, eyeing the Novice with pity.

Matron Hame sent the Novice to check on the patients, and she came back with the good news they were all unharmed.

"Doctor, thank you. If it were not for you, none of us would be alive right now," Hame said to the Doctor with solemn gratitude as they all stood in the hospital reception sometime later.

She turned to look at Aliya and River. "And to you two also. We are in your debt."

"You're welcome." The Doctor said. "I think we'll be going now. I don't do clean-ups."

"You never did," She replied with a smile. The Doctor gave her a quick hug which took her by surprise before striding out of the hospital doors and over the ground covered in androids. The three of them stood outside the TARDIS, taking another look out over the beautiful water and the magnificent sight that was New New York.

"It's so beautiful," Aliya said softly. "You'd never know what just happened, the lives that were lost."

"All the same, they won't be forgotten," The Doctor said as he thought of the Novices who had laid down their lives to protect the patients of the hospital.

"Not by me," River said quietly. Aliya had slipped inside the TARDIS while they were not looking, and the Doctor and River Song stood on the apple grass together, staring out at the view before looking at each other instead. He pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to her. She turned the blue diary over in her hands, noticing the resemblance it bore to the TARDIS.

"It's a diary. You can use it to write down all of our adventures," He told her.

"So I can remember it all...including people we lose?"

"River," The Doctor said quietly, lightly brushing a strand of her wild hair behind her ear, "You are magnificent."

She smiled at him, and they opened the door to the TARDIS and walked inside.


	22. A Christmas Carol: Kazran Sardick

The TARDIS door was open and outside was the street where River lived. The three of them stood by the door.

"I guess this is goodbye then," River said, not seeming entirely happy about it.

"For now," The Doctor amended, and she laughed.

"For now," she repeated.

"We'll see you soon," Aliya promised, giving the other blonde a hug. River grinned before turning her gaze to the Doctor. Aliya had been around, and knew what she was seeing in the gaze the young archaeologist to be had directed at the Doctor. Aliya slipped away and up to the other side of the console where they would think she wasn't watching. And she wasn't. Not really.

"Remember…" The Doctor began, but River cut him off.

"Don't talk about the past. Spoilers." She said with another teasing grin and a cock of the eyebrow.

"Exactly, there's a girl." He said proudly. "And remember to write in your diary."

"I will." She said to him, clutching it tightly as she stepped out the door. She went to leave but turned back. "Oh, and Doctor? Thank you."

"My pleasure," He said to her, and closed the door as she walked off down the street. He leaned his head on the door tiredly.

She was so young, and almost innocent. She thought she would go on so many amazing adventures…And she would. He would make sure of could not help it as his mind drifted to how he knew it ended, with the older River's body being masked by the bright light…He wasn't sure how he felt about her yet. She was sometimes annoyingly know it all, and a bit violent, but at the same time she had that sense of wonder which he yearned for in a companion. She was always ready to risk anything for him, and he knew that in the end she would commit the ultimate sacrifice.

His feelings were strong, he knew that. But what kind of feelings they were would take longer to work out.

He thought of how she knew his name, his _real _name, something no one knew. He had _never _told anyone his name before. For River to know it, it meant that they would have had to have been joined in the most intimate and powerful way, something he knew he would never do unless he truly loved the person and was sure of their love for him. And that was what scared the Doctor the most. The thought of loving someone that much and losing them like he had so many others, it made him wary around River, something he did not want to be.

He was snapped out of his thoughts by Aliya speaking to him.

"Now what are you sulking about?" She asked playfully. He had been awfully quiet. "You've got a beautiful woman who _clearly _has a thing for you, and you look sad. You're probably married to her already, so why the angst? Smile, it's not that hard!" Her cheer only made him frown deeper.

"Aliya, you know, sometimes, you just need to be quiet and consider maybe you _don't_ know everything, that maybe _sometimes_ there are things in my life you may not be aware of and I am, instead of just judging from what you've seen," The Doctor snapped at her, turning around to glare.

Aliya's playful smile dissolved off her face. "What do you mean?" He said nothing but joined her on the console platform, leaning his hands on the rail and looking at the wall of the TARDIS with his back to the console. "River is obviously going to be very close to you. What's wrong with that?" She watched him anxiously, studying him.

"I've lost so many people, Aliya. Eventually you just get tired of losing everyone you love. Loving River, all it's going to do is hurt, give me another scar, one of the deepest yet." He said quietly, trying to avoid her eye.

"But you can't know it's going hurt!" Aliya argued from some way behind him. "You can't just assume it will end badly!"

He turned around, anger in his eye as he raised his voice. "Aside from the fact that a human and Time Lord relationship would never work, something you are stupidly ignoring-"

"Well excuse me for trying to optimistic instead of picky!" She snapped indignantly, but he ignored her and continued.

"I'm not just assuming it will end badly, I know it will," The Doctor said turning back around to the rail again, and Aliya shut her mouth immediately and took a step forward, her expression completely transformed into one of fear.

"What do you mean?" Her voice was a whisper as she came closer.

"I saw it. We're on different timelines, and the first time I met her, she died." He managed to force the words out, and Aliya's hand flew to her mouth as she gasped. Her gasp of shock immediately turned into a silent tear falling down her cheek as the reality came crashing in on her. Aliya eventually joined him on the rail, her hands clinging to it desperately for support.

"How?" Her voice was weak and pained.

"She gave her life and let a computer system use her mind as memory space so it could save the lives of over 4000 people, including Donna." He said softly, trying not to remember.

"So she died to save thousands of lives. Something she would be proud of."

"I was going to do it instead."

"Why didn't you?"

He was reluctant to answer. "She punched me in the face and knocked me out, then handcuffed me to a rail so I couldn't stop her." He couldn't help it when the corner of his mouth twitched at the memory.

Aliya also smirked. "That sounds like her. Protecting you while abusing you." Her face became serious again. "But dying for you…there is no better way to die, not in the whole of space and time. Especially not for her." She placed her hand on his comfortingly.

"No one should die for me. I'm not worth it." His voice was bitter.

"You're worth all of it. Never forget that." She said, but he disregarded the statement he thought ridiculously naïve, and said nothing.

She leant away from the rail, staring at him. "So what do we do now?" She asked, biting her lip.

He moved away from the rail quickly, a mask of indifference plastered on his face. "We go on just like we always do." He said stiffly, flicking a few switches on the console.

"Running again?" Aliya sighed, and the Doctor looked up at her with a small smile.

"Always."

* * *

"Doctor, we're picking up a distress signal!" Aliya called, already homing in on it. It had been several days since New Earth, and all had again turned to normal on the TARDIS. As normal as they could be, anyway.

"Really?" The Doctor said, coming back into the console room. "Home in on it!"

"I'm not an idiot! But when we materialised we were in a thick layer of clouds and I couldn't do anything!" Aliya hit the com link button.

"_Hello? Our ship's crashing!" _Came a woman's voice from the other end.

"We know, we got your distress signal. Don't worry, just hold on, we're going to try and find a way to help. I'll call if we get any news, and you do the same." Aliya told her calmly. She took the portable com and put in the pocket of her jacket. She saw the Doctor just standing there. "Help me, you idiot!"

He set to work, and finally the TARDIS landed.

"Good," He said, grabbing his coat from over the console rail and putting it on over his usual shirt and red suspenders. Aliya followed down the stairs to the door, wearing her standard jacket, jeans and boots. Together, they left the TARDIS.

* * *

Inside the Sardick mansion, a peasant family were trying to get their family member home for Christmas. The little boy heard a wheezing sound, and looked at the ceiling. Nothing happened.

Kazran Sardick, the man who had more power than the President, took the phone offered to him and began to talk into it. "Look, petal, you already have a surplus population. No more people allowed on this planet." Dust fell from the fireplace, and the boy looked at it curiously. "I don't make the rules," Kazran continued, "Hold on, hang on, I do." He said nastily, and hung up the phone. He looked at the family standing before him. "All right you lot. Poor begging people. Off home and pray for a miracle."

The family made to leave when the fireplace erupted with fire and smoke, causing everyone to turn around and look at it. A man in a tweed suit and bowtie tumbled out, and landed on his feet, covered in soot and ash, hair rumbled.

"Ah, yes. Blimey! Sorry, Christmas Eve, on a rooftop, saw a chimney and thought, what the hell?" He said excitedly.

The fireplace flared again, and another figure tumbled out only to land on the floor behind him. "I hate you," She said weakly while groaning.

"Not even a little bit convincing," He said with a smile before turning back to the crowd of people staring at both of them. "And don't worry. Fat fella will be doing the rounds later. We're just scoping out the general…chimneyness! Yes!"

The young woman got to her feet and went to work trying to get the ash out of her pale hair while the man walked past her and tapped the chimney. "Nice size," He said, "Good traction." His friend just rolled her eyes. "Big tick."

"Fat fella?" The man in the family asked.

"Yeah, good point. What Fat Fella? I swear, you start talking native and I have no idea what you're saying anymore," The blonde said irritably, standing still with her arms crossed, unlike her companion, who constantly felt the need to move.

"Father Christmas, Santa Claus," The bowtie wearing man explained to both of them. "Or, as I've always known him, Jeff."

"There's no such person as Father Christmas!" The boy argued.

"That's what I keep trying to tell him. 'Don't go believing in primitive culture's mythical figures', I told him…" The blonde agreed, and was shushed by the man.

"Oh yeah?" He said, and pulled out a photo and showed it to the boy. "Me and Father Christmas, at Frank Sinatra's hunting lodge, 1952. See him at the back with the blonde, Albert Einstine, the three of us together-"

"Almost had a decent sized brain?" The blonde tried to put in helpfully, and her friend shot her an annoyed look before ignoring her statement.

"Hrump! Watch out," He said. "Okay?" He pointed at the boy and the boy grinned. "Keep faith."

Meanwhile, his blonde friend had wondered over to the machine at the back. "Doctor," She called over her shoulder, and he turned around before beaming when he spotted what she had found.

"Oh, I love this! Big flashy lighty thing, that's what brought me here," The Doctor said, and rushed over.

"You know, if you keep like talking like that, you might actually be as young as you look. I mean, 'big flashy lighty thing'? Seriously?" His friend said with major exasperation while rolling her eyes.

"Big flashy lighty things have got me written all over them," He continued, putting extra emphasis on the particular phrase she had expressed disgust with, just to annoy her. "Well, not actually. Give me time, and a crayon."

"How, just how, are you older than me?" She asked, a fond smile now spreading across her face despite herself. Kazran watched the two of them with a growing frown on his face.

"Now, this big flashy lighty thing is connected to the spire in your dome, yeah?" The question was directed to Kazran himself.

"You know it is," The Doctor's friend said tiredly, brushing more ash off her jeans.

"And it controls the sky…" He continued before being interrupted again.

"Well, actually, it controls the tiny particles of ice in the air, otherwise known as clouds," The woman corrected him. She began striding away from him, but he followed, eager to address the group again.

"Ice clouds, Aliya, you should have just said ice clouds, don't just find the boring alternative," The Doctor said. "Who's she?" He pointed behind him to the icebox containing the sister of the mother of the beggar family, a very pretty blonde woman frozen in the ice. Aliya followed where he was pointed and frowned at the sight.

"Nobody important," Kazran said haughtily.

"Nobody important," The Doctor echoed while Aliya scowled at the old man's back. "Blimey, that's amazing. Did you know, that nine hundred years of time and space and I've never met anyone who wasn't important before."

Aliya had to agree. "What gives you the right to say she's not important?" The old man was about to come out with a sharp reply when the Doctor went off on another of his crazy rants. Both Kazran and Aliya were forced to turn their eyes back to him.

"Now, this console is the key to saving that ship, or I'll eat my hat. If I had a hat, or someone's hat." He kept muttering as Aliya slowly walked towards him. "Sorry, rambling! Cos…cos…_this isn't working!" _He yelled in frustration.

"The controls are isomorphic," Aliya told him glumly. "I've already tried."

"One to one, they respond only to me." Kazran agreed.

"Oh, you fibber!" The Doctor responded. "And as for you, Aliya, you were just doing it wrong."

"Doctor, my specialty is mechanics and- oh, I give up." Aliya sighed, but the Doctor continued to press buttons and not get any results. Kazran reached over and pressed something that made the whole console respond, to prove a point. Aliya watched with a frown. Kazran pressed it again and the system turned on. The Doctor continued to fiddle while Aliya came to stand next to them, snatching the Doctor's sonic from him. She scanned the console and Kazran before shoving the results in front of her friend's nose. He looked at them for a few seconds.

"These controls are isomorphic." The Doctor announced to the room.

"The skies of this world are mine," Kazran said to the Doctor, but glanced at Aliya a few times. "My family tamed them, and now I own them."

"Tame the sky? What does that mean?" The Doctor asked.

"It means," He said as he strode some way away from him. "I'm Kazran Sardick. How can you possibly not know who I am?"

"Well," The Doctor said, "Just easily bored, I suppose." Aliya giggled. "So, I need your help!"

Kazran waved a hand at them disinterestedly. "Make an appointment."

"There are four thousand people up in the sky in a crashing ship, and you're telling us to make an appointment?" Aliya said angrily, and the Doctor put his hand on her arm as a way of telling her to calm down.

"Four thousand people trapped in your cloud belt, and without your help they are going to die." The Doctor continued on from where Aliya had left off.

"Yes," Kazran said with a small smile, and they realised that he was fully aware of the situation.

"You don't have to let that happen." The Doctor said as though the old man was missing the obvious.

"I know. But I'm going to."

"You don't help them and you've as good as murdered them," Aliya said in a low tone.

"I don't care. Bye bye, bored now," Kazran said, disregarding her.

The Doctor felt his friend moving behind him and moved his arms in time to discourage Aliya from approaching the man and slapping him. "Come on Aliya, he's not worth it." The blonde glared but kept still. The men grabbed them and tried to take them out. The Doctor managed to twist out of his grip and stride back to stand in front of Kazran, who had sat down in the chair by the chimney. Aliya couldn't get free from the man holding her but stood her ground, watching from a small distance.

Kazran looked at the Doctor. "Oh look at you, you're all tough now."

"He's tougher than you," Aliya said.

"You really need to learn to keep her quiet," Kazran told the Doctor. "She's very irritating."

"Yes, because you're such a joy to be around," She retorted.

"There are 4001 people I won't allow to die tonight. Do you know where that puts you?" The Doctor said slowly.

"Where?" Kazran asked, obviously not caring but going long with it anyway.

"4002." The Doctor said.

"Was that a sort of threaty thing?" Kazran asked, obviously not impressed. _I__f you keep going with that attitude while I'm in the room it might seem more serious later on, _Aliya thought.

"Whatever happens tonight," The Doctor continued, "Remember, you brought it on yourself."

"Yeah, yeah, right. Get them out of here. And next time, try and find me some funny poor people." Kazran said dismissively. The little boy ran forward and threw a rock at his head, hitting him right on the top. Kazran stood up and marched towards the boy with obvious purpose. The Doctor yelled at him to stop while Aliya cried out and shoved the man holding her out of the way, running to stand between Kazran and his target.

"Don't you dare," She said threateningly, glaring daggers at him.

"I'll dare to do whatever I choose," He replied angrily, shoving her roughly out of the way and causing her to land on her knees on the hard floor, her palms face down on the cold, concrete like substance. The Doctor helped her up but held her back as Kazran advanced on the boy, and Aliya all but thrashed in the Doctor's arms, not about to let some child get hit for doing something she had wanted to do herself.

"Don't you dare! You leave him!" The boy's father yelled as Kazran stood over the boy with his hand raised. But the old man's hand had stopped and began to falter, and he lowered it. Aliya relaxed, and the Doctor loosed his grip on her while not letting her go entirely.

"Get them out of here!" Kazran yelled at his men. "Get that foul smelling family and these annoying know it all's out of here."

The men wrestled the family out and soon the room was empty. Kazran turned around to see the Doctor looking at him with an expression he couldn't name and Aliya looking at him with rather obvious dislike, something he was not worried about as he felt exactly the same way towards her.

"What?" Kazran asked. "What do you want?"

"A simple life," The Doctor said, and Aliya rolled her eyes, "But you didn't hit the boy."

"Well I will next time!" Kazran roared, and Aliya's glare turned to one of pity. He was unsure why.

The Doctor moved closer to examine him. "But you see you won't, but why? What am I missing?"

"Get out! Get out of this house." Kazran commanded.

"We come and go as we please," Aliya told him with narrowed eyes. "Especially when horrible people like you own it."

"The chairs," The Doctor said suddenly. "The chairs, stupid me, it's the chairs."

"Chairs?" Kazran said immediately, too quickly.

"They're all facing away from the same point…" Aliya said slowly, but the Doctor had worked it out faster, as usual.

"There's a portrait on the wall behind me, looks like you but it's too old, so it's your father. All the chairs are facing away from it. Dad's been gone twenty years but you still can't get comfortable where he can see you. There's a Christmas tree in the painting but none in this house, on Christmas Eve. You're scared of him, scared of being like him, but you're not like him, do you know why?" The Doctor rambled, looking at Kazran intensely.

"Why?" Kazran asked almost fearfully, the vulnerable man in front of them quite different from the one they had seen not long ago.

"The boy. You didn't hit him," Aliya said, having finally caught up to the Doctor's speeding train of thought.

Kazran shook his head as if he thought their words were wrong. The Doctor put a hand on his shoulder as Aliya slowly walked to stand next to him. "Merry Christmas, Mr Sardick." The Doctor said softly with a smile. Even Aliya managed to force out a small one for the old man, as she knew he did deserve at least that.

"I despise Christmas!" Sardick barked bitterly, and Aliya's face fell, changing back to an impassive look of interest. The Doctor smiled before letting go and walking away. Aliya paused before following him. The Doctor stopped.

"You shouldn't, it's very you." He said to Kazran while they had their backs to each other. Aliya looked between them.

"What? What do you mean?" The old man asked gruffly as both of the men turned around.

"Halfway out of the dark," The Doctor said simply as Sardick's men returned. Kazran looked thoughtful as the Doctor turned back to look at the blonde who still stood between them. "Come along, Aliya. We're leaving." He reached out his hand and she took it, and they walked out with their chins up.

"Get her downstairs with the others," Kazran said to his men, gesturing to the woman in the icebox. "And clean up this mess!" The men wheeled the box out as Kazran sat in his chair again.

* * *

The Doctor and Aliya walked out of the house.

"Are you a bit on edge tonight, or is it just me?" He asked her. Aliya frowned.

"That chimney was dark, and huge. It's put me in a bad mood," She said irritably. Partially because it had been dark, and apparently she had a paralysing fear of it. It was also partially because jumping down chimneys was not her idea of fun, it was his.

"I see. Sorry. But anyway…what's our plan?" The Doctor asked Aliya.

"We don't have one. Do we? Because I don't."

"No, but we've found a machine that controls the cloud layer," The Doctor said optimistically.

"We can't use it," Aliya reminded him lazily as she leant against a street lamp.

"But we know a man who can," The Doctor put in.

"And he hates us! Me, in particular." Aliya retorted. He continued pacing. "And I hate him, for that matter! He's one of the most horrible men I've ever met, and the worst part is that he has so much potential to be a nice person!"

"Excuse me? Sir? Ma'am?" A man said from a few metres away. They recognised the head of the family who had been in Sardick's house with them.

"Hello again," Aliya said cheerily.

"I've never seen anyone stand up to Mr Sardick like that, both of you!" He said with admiration, shaking the Doctor's hand. "And you…standing between him and my child…"He shook Aliya's hand as well and kissed her on the cheek politely. "Bless you, Miss, Sir, and Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas," They replied with large smiles.

"You two better get inside," The man said warned. "The fog's thick tonight and there's a fish warning." He did not notice the frowns of confusion on both of the Gallifreyans faces.

"Sorry, fish?" The Doctor asked.

"Yeah, you know what they're like when they get a bit hungry." The man answered casually.

"Yes, but…fish?" The Doctor said again, this time with a little hand movement that made Aliya giggle.

"It's all Mr Sardick's fault. I reckon he lets a few fish through the cloud layer whenever he's in a bad mood."

"I bet he does," Aliya agreed, not knowing what the man meant but agreeing with the general gist of the sentence. Kazran Sardick just seemed like a very grumpy, miserable old man.

"Thank you, and bless you both one again." He shook their hands again before walking off.

"Fish?" The Doctor said again.

"Fish! I might not understand what he's talking about either, but you don't have to keep saying it!" Aliya got out her com and made a quick phone call to the Captain of the crashing ship while the Doctor stared at the street lamp curiously. Once it was over, Aliya hung up and put the com back in her pocket. "Doctor, the Captain of the ship says they have less than an hour. We have to think of something and fast!"

"Fish…" The Doctor said again, looking up to the little fish swimming around the streetlamp.

"What?" Aliya asked in exasperation. She strode over and then spotted what she was talking about.

"Fish that can swim in fog," The Doctor said.

"Well that does explain quite of lot of what that man was saying," Aliya said, staring at them.

"I love new planets."

"Me too," Aliya said with a grin.

"Now why would anyone be frightened of you tiny little fellas?" He cooed, reaching his hand out for the fish to swim to while Aliya rolled her eyes again. "Look at you, cute little fishy wishies…" The fish swam away, and Aliya felt disappointed they she hadn't gotten to try.

"Fish that swim in the cloud layer," She added, "That ship's going to need to be careful." The street clock struck eleven. "They've got until midnight at the very most." She abruptly looked around when the street speakers began playing strange music.

"I know, give me a minute to think!" The Doctor replied testily. Aliya shrugged and lent back on the street lamp. "We can't use the TARDIS because it can't lock on. The ship needs to land, but it can't land unless a very bad man decides to turn nice just in time for Christmas day." The Doctor babbled.

"Doctor, what's that music?" Aliya asked curiously, interrupting him.

"It's a Christmas carol, but as I was saying-"

"But what's a Christmas carol?" She said, confused.

"Look, I'm trying to figure out how to stop that ship crashing, i have better things to worry about than holiday songs and Charles Dickens writing about ghosts and..." He trailed off, a look of inspiration in his face. "That's exactly what we need to do." He grabbed her hand and pulled her down the road. "We're going to play it by the book."

"You're going to have to explain this to me..." Aliya said as he pulled her down the street, "Because I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about!"

* * *

Kazran Sardick slept in his chair by the fireplace. The sounds of his quiet snoring and the crackling of the fire were the only noises in the room. A TV screen came to life, showing a young boy at a desk, filming himself.

"Hello, my name is Kazran Sardick. I'm twelve and a half," He said with a smile. "And this is my bedroom." He leaned in closer to the camera and whispered, "This is my top secret special project, for my eyes only. Merry Christmas."

There was a roar on screen, and a man entered the room. "What are you doing?" He asked, furious. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" The older Kazran, who was watching the video, got up from the chair, his eyes wide with terror as he backed up against the fireplace.

The man looked into the screen. "I warned you before about this," He growled to the young boy. "You stupid, ignorant, ridiculous child!"

"I just wanted to make a film of the fish," The boy said quickly.

"Fish are dangerous!"

"I just want to see them!"

"You're stupid! You're far too young…"

"Everyone at school has seen the fish."

"That's enough. You'll be singing to them next."

"The singing works, I've seen it. The fish like the singing."

"It doesn't matter what fish like!"

"People say we don't have to be afraid of the fish, they're not really interested in us!"

"You don't listen to people, you listen to me!" The older Kazran's hand went to his cheek when his younger self was slapped on the video.

"I'm sorry Father." The boy was saying. The Doctor and Aliya came out from behind the chair. The former put his hand on Kazran's shoulder hesitantly while Aliya hung behind.

"It's okay, it's okay."

The man whirled around, angry. "What have you done? What is this?" He yelled.

"Found it on an old drive. Sorry about the picture quality, had to recover the data with quantum infolding…" The Doctor explained.

"And a paper clip," Aliya added.

"Been crying over me, have you?" Kazran said nastily to her as he walked over to ring his service bell, eyeing the tear still present down her cheek from when the boy had gotten slapped on the video.

She hastily wiped it away. "Someone has to," She defended.

"I wouldn't bother calling your servants, if I were you. They've quit. Apparently they all won the lottery at the same time, which is a bit lucky when you think about it."

"There isn't a lottery!" Kazran said, and Aliya smirked.

"Yeah, as I say," The Doctor continued, smiling at Aliya, "Lucky."

The video continued playing on the screen.

"Who are you?" Kazran asked.

"Tonight," The Doctor said, "I'm the ghost of Christmas past."

Kazran turned to Aliya. "And what about you, does it make you feel important, following this Doctor around? When you so readily insult people superior to you? Who are you, to behave like that?" He eyed her out of place attire with distaste.

"That's for me to know, and for you to find out," Aliya said coolly, trying to not let his words get to her. The screen meanwhile showed the father telling the boy about his babysitter, and leaving the boy crying at his desk.

"Did you ever get to see a fish? Back then when you were a kid?" The Doctor asked.

"What does it matter to you?"

"It obviously mattered to you," Aliya pointed out, and Kazran looked at the screen again, eyes on his crying younger self.

"I cried all night," Kazran said bitterly. "And I learnt life's most valuable lesson."

"Which is?"

"Nobody comes," He said harshly. "Get out! Get out of my house!"

"Okay," The Doctor said, taking Aliya's hand. "But I'll be back. Way back! Way way back." They walked into the cupboard where the TARDIS was.

"I'm going to stay here," Aliya said quietly. "Considering what we're about to do, I don't think he should have to do it alone." He nodded and got into the TARDIS and she watched as it dematerialised. She sighed and watched Kazran through the crack in the door. She heard the TARDIS in the screen, and the boy's crying stop.

"See?" Came the Doctor's voice. "Back!" There was the sound of a window opening.

"Who are you?" The younger Kazran asked.

"I'm the Doctor. I'm your new babysitter." He replied enthusiastically.

"Where's Mrs Mantavani?"

"Oh, you'll never guess, Mrs Mantavani, she only went and won the lottery!"

"There isn't any lottery!" Kazran yelled at the screen. Aliya could hear a sound that could only be the Doctor bouncing on the bed. She shook her head with amusement. He was _such _a child sometimes.

"There isn't any lottery." Kazran's younger self repeated without knowing.

"I know! What a woman!" The Doctor said happily, jumping off the bed.

"If you are my babysitter, why are you climbing in the window?" The boy asked.

"Because if I were climbing out the window, then I would be going in the wrong direction. Pay attention!" The Doctor said. Aliya smiled and chuckled to herself. In reality, he was more of a child than the young Kazran himself, who still seemed confused.

"But Mrs Mantavani's always my babysitter!"

"Time change," The Doctor said. "See? Christmas past." Aliya could tell he was now talking to the older Kazran.

"Who are you talking to?"

"You, now, the past is going to change, that means your memories are going to change. Bit scary, but you'll get the hang of it. And Aliya's there to help you through it, so you'll be fine."

"Who's Aliya? I don't understand." The young Kazaran asked.

"I'll bet you don't. And she's no one you need to worry about right now." The Doctor said. "I wish I could see your face."

"But that never happened!" The old Kazran shouted. A look of shocked realisation came over his face.

"But it did," Aliya said, re-entering the room in the same moment he said exactly the same thing.

"So! Bedroom! Right, great, you're twelve years old, so we'll stay away from under the bed. Cupboard!" The Doctor shouted, jumping up. "A big cupboard, I love a cupboard! Did you know, that there is a thing called a face spider, it's just like a baby only with spider legs, and it's specifically evolved to scuttle up the back of bedroom cupboards." Aliya brought her hand to her face in exasperation, as naturally, the boy then looked frightened. "Which, yeah, I probably shouldn't have mentioned." The Doctor admitted as he closed the cupboard. "Right, so, what are we going to do? Eat crisps and talk about girls? I've never actually done that, but I bet it's easy. Girls, yeah?"

"He's a bit of an idiot, isn't he?" Kazran said Aliya, who laughed.

"Most of the time, yeah," She agreed. They both realised they had agreed on something and immediately scowled in unison, as the younger Kazran asked if the Doctor was really a baby sitter.

"I think you'll find I'm universally recognised as a mature and responsible adult." The Doctor told him, holding out the psychic paper with confidence. Aliya raised a sceptical eyebrow at the screen.

"It's just a lot of wavy lines." The boy replied.

"It's shorted out, finally a lie too big," The Doctor deducted from examining it. Aliya stared at the screen in disbelief for a moment before bursting into a fit of laughter. "Okay, no, not really a babysitter, but it's Christmas Eve, you don't want a real one, you want me."

"Why? What's so special about you?"

"Have you ever heard of Mary Poppins?"

"No."

"Good, because that comparison would have been rubbish," The Doctor said as he clapped his hands. "Fish in the fog, fish in the clouds!" He went over the window and stepped in to step on the frame. "How do people ever get bored? How did boredom even get invented?"

"My dad's invented a machine, to control the cloud belt," The young Kazran said as he too walked towards the window. "Tame the sky, he says. The fish can come down, but only when we let them. We can be in charge of whatever we like."

"Yeah, well, I've seen your Dad's machine…"

"What? You can't have!"

"Tame the sky…human beings, you always manage to find the boring alternative, don't you? You want to see a fish? We can do that! We can see a fish."

"But aren't you going to tell me it's dangerous?"

"Dangerous? Come on, we're boys, and you know what boys say in the face of danger."

"What?"

"Mummy."

Aliya rolled her eyes. "Ridiculous man."

"Why are you here?" The older Kazran asked her suddenly, bringing the conversation down a more serious road. "Why didn't you go with him? It seems as a child I was much more pleasant."

"Yes, it does seem that way. But he's not the one having his memories changed. I know it can't be easy, so I'm here for moral support," Aliya said thoughtfully, looking as the screen as Kazran and the Doctor got to work making a fishing line with the sonic pulses from his screwdriver as bait.

"Moral support?" He said sceptically, almost amused. "You?"

"I know it seems hard to believe, but when it comes to most people I can be quite pleasant." Aliya said lightly before narrowing her eyes at him, arms crossed. "_You_ just get on my nerves."

"Then why help me at all?"

"What can I say?" Aliya shrugged, her voice sarcastic. "I'm a saint." They waited in silence. The camera and the two males were now in the closet, one holding on to the fishing line string.

"Are there any face spiders in here?" Kazran asked the Doctor.

"Nah…" The Doctor assured him, "Not at this time of the night. They'll all be sleeping in your mattress." Aliya frowned.

"So why are you so interested in fish?" The Doctor asked the boy.

"Because they're scary."

"Good answer."

"What kind of tie is that?" Kazran asked curiously, eyeing the object in question.

"A cool one." The Doctor said firmly. Aliya smiled fondly.

"Why is it _cool?"_

"Why are you really interested in fish?"

"My school, last fog belt, the nets broke and there was an attack. No one was hurt, but it was the most fish seen below the mountains." His voice was wistful, with that kind of childish sadness that adults tended to disregard when it was actually very important.

"Were you scared?"

"I wasn't there. I was off sick."

"Oh, lucky you."

The boy looked at him sadly, and the Doctor frowned. "Not lucky." He said quickly as the boy put his head in his knees.

"It's all anyone ever talks about now," Kazran told the bowtie wearing man, "'The day the fish came'. Everyone's got a story."

"But you don't." The Doctor looked directly at the camera, at Kazran and Aliya. "I see now," He said quietly.

"Why are you recording this?" The boy asked. Aliya noticed their fishing line had begun to pull.

"Do you pay attention at school, Kazran?"

"Sorry, what?"

"Because you're not paying attention now." The Doctor smiled as the boy noticed the fishing line. He made a shushing noise.

"Now I remember…" The old Kazran said, watching the screen. He watched the Doctor get up. "No, Doctor! You mustn't!" He yelled.

"Why, why not?" Aliya asked, whipping her head around before pushing her hair out of her face. "Did you remember something?" Kazran didn't answer her and continued to stare at the screen.

Meanwhile, the younger Kazran eyed the Doctor. "Doctor, are you sure?" The boy asked.

"Kazran, what happened?" Aliya pressed the old man.

"Trust me," The Doctor told young Kazran.

"Okay." The boy agreed.

"Look at me, I wear it and I don't care."

"It's something bad, isn't it? Oh, who am I kidding, of course it's bad…this is the Doctor we're talking about…" Aliya worried, and shook her head vigorously. "The man can't take one step outside without attracting some kind of trouble!"

"It's a shark," Kazran said quickly, getting in even though she was already agitated.

"A shark?" She took a deep breath. "Nope, not surprised. Sometimes, I think getting eaten by a shark is just what he deserves, leaving me where I can't help him…" She began to pace, Kazran watching her with worry. "But I can't blame him for this one, because I chose to stay behind!" Kazran grabbed her by the arm and forced her into a chair, ignoring her glare.

"I think you need to breathe and calm down." He told her. She did as he said.

"I'm sorry!" She said at normal speed. "I'm just…feeling weird. I'm always like that when I come out of the dark, and your chimney is so long!"

"Trust me?" The Doctor looked from young Kazran to the screen, aiming the question at all three of them.

"Yeah," The Kazran standing over Aliya said, nodding slightly as he looked back to the screen.

"Yeah," The young Kazran in the closet nodded.

"Yeah," Aliya said softly, watching him on the screen.

"That's why it's cool." The Doctor claimed.

Aliya watched as he exited the cupboard, where she knew a shark was waiting for him. She bit her lip in worry. He took one last look at the camera, a tender expression on his face as he spoke, a word in Gallifreyan used for reassurance when someone is worrying for you, but it was a word that did not have a literal meaning in English. He was asking for her trust, telling her he would be okay. She whispered the response to the screen, the word that was an acceptance, a word of complete trust, and she said it even though she knew he could not hear her.

He smiled and turned, leaving the cupboard, and her line of sight.


	23. A Christmas Carol: Every Christmas Eve

"What is it? What kind? Can I see?" The young Kazran asked the Doctor through the door.

"No, just stay there a moment."

"What language was that, that he spoke before he left? You replied, so you must know," The older Kazran asked.

"It's the language of our planet. He was asking me to trust him." She replied softly, and watched the screen anxiously before changing the subject. "How are your memories coming along?"

"I'm getting used to it." He said absently, frowning. She nodded slowly, knowing that it surely wouldn't be easy. They watched as the Doctor dashed back inside, and the shark rammed through the door, making the camera short out.

"No!" Both of the people watching it cried.

"It's going to eat us," The older Kazran said.

"What?"

"That's what I said, next."

"Oh. What happened?"

Kazran explained how it had followed on from there. How they had reached into the shark's mouth to grab the sonic, and how the shark had very soon become very quiet and far less mobile.

* * *

"Oh, what's the big fishy done to you?" The Doctor asked his screwdriver sentimentally. "Swallowed half of you, that's what. Half a screwdriver, what use is that?" He hit it impatiently. "Bad, big, fishie." He said.

"Doctor?" Kazran asked, stroking the shark sadly. "I think she's dying."

"Half my screwdriver is still inside," The Doctor said but tried to scan the fish anyway as he knelt beside it. "But yeah, I think so. I doubt they can survive long out of the cloud belt though, just quick raiding trips-" He stopped for a second when Kazran sobbed. "-On a foggy night." He finished.

"Can't we get it back up there?" Kazran asked, his face slightly stained with tears. "I was just going to stun it, I didn't want to kill it!"

"She was trying to eat you," The Doctor reminded him.

"She was hungry," Kazran said sadly.

"I'm sorry Kazran, I can't save her. I could take her back up there but she would never survive the trip," The Doctor said. "You'd need a fully functioning life support."

"You mean like an icebox?" Kazran asked with excitement. "Okay!" They exchanged a look and ran down through the house to get one. Despite the Doctor getting distracted by the Christmas tree, they managed to get down to the basement with a torch. The Doctor looked through the door at all the iceboxes with wonder.

"What is this?" The Time Lord asked the boy.

"The surplus population." He replied. "That's what my Dad does. It's not turning! Why won't it turn?" He kept trying to turn the hatch while the Doctor scanned the keypad with his half of the screwdriver.

"Ah! What's the number?" He asked.

"I don't know!"

"The place is full of alarms, I need a number!"

"I'm not allowed to know until I'm older!"

* * *

The older Kazran kept yelling the number at the screen as the two argued.

"He's going to come, to get the number from you." Aliya told him quietly, and the man immediately understood.

"And you're going to go with him."

"Only if you are okay here," She said quickly, and he smirked.

"Please," He rolled his eyes. "You need more moral support than I do." She grinned and slipped through the door, and into the TARDIS once it had materialised and walked up to join the Doctor on the console platform.

"7-2-5-8," She said to the Doctor. He grinned at her.

"Just what I was after," He said. "You coming?"

"Of course! I'm never letting you worry me like that again!" She joined him on the console platform.

He smiled and the TARDIS took off back in time. When it landed, he held out his hand to her. "Did you trust me?" He cupped her cheek with his hand while his eyes held hers in the way that only his could.

"Of course I did," She answered, smiling, "Doesn't mean I didn't worry about you the whole time though. I drove Kazran mad." She laughed.

"So did I," he joked, and they left the TARDIS together.

"7 – 2 - 5 - 8." The Doctor said as he and Aliya ran down the stairs.

Kazran ran to the keypad and began putting in the numbers while the Doctor was helped with the door by Aliya, whom the boy noticed for the first time.

"Who are you?" He asked in surprise, looking between her and the Doctor.

"That's Aliya. She's going to be helping us." The Doctor told him before rushing inside the icebox room.

"Oh, _you're_ Aliya! Okay. I'm Kazran." He held his hand out to her and she shook it with a grin, and then pulled him along as the Doctor called for them, impatient as ever.

"Ah, there's fish down here too..." He was saying.

"Yeah, but only tiny ones." Kazran ran to catch up with him, leaving Aliya to follow behind on her own. "The house is built on a fog link, that's how Dad freezes the people. They're all full, but we could borrow one."

"What? Borrow a person?" Aliya asked as she caught up to the Doctor.

"No," Kazran laughed, "The box. Yeah, this one." He said, pointing to the one he was standing in front of. The Doctor and Aliya looked into it, holding up the lamp.

"It's her," Aliya exclaimed in surprise.

"Hello again," The Doctor murmured.

"You know her?" Kazran said.

"Why her…"

"It seems like a bit too much of a co-incidence, doesn't it?" Aliya agreed. "Is she important in any way?" The last part was directed to the little boy, but Kazran just shrugged.

"She won't mind. She loves the fish." He pressed some buttons on the side of the box, and a hologram of the woman began to play.

"My name is Abigail Pettigrew," She said, "And I'm very grateful for Mr Sardick's kindness." She continued to talk about Kazran's father, and her own.

"She starts to talk about the fish in a minute," Kazran told them.

The Doctor wandered over to some of the other iceboxes to look inside, and Aliya followed, wrapping her arms around herself because of the cold."Why are they all in here?" She asked the Doctor. "It's horrible!"

"But I'm also surrounded by the fish," The woman was saying, and now Aliya could see Kazran hanging on to her every word. It wasn't surprising, the woman seemed very lovely in terms of personality as well as her looks. And with that boy's father...a lovely person would likely have a lot of appeal. "The beautiful, magical, iridescent fish."

"Why are these people here?" The Doctor wondered to himself.

"Just ask," Aliya said, tearing her eyes away from the face of the box the Doctor was examining. "Kazran? Why are all these people in here?"

"My dad lends money," Kazran explained. "He always takes a family member as, he calls it security."

"Bastard," Aliya muttered, and the Doctor shot her a reprimanding look.

"Hard man to love, your dad," He said to Kazran, who gave him an understanding half smile. "But I suppose you know that."

"Yeah, I bet he figured it out when the man _slapped _him! What sort of parent could _ever _hit their own child? The thought of it just…" Aliya said angrily, but quietly enough that Kazran couldn't hear.

"Aliya, you have to remember that while us Gallifreyans knew it was wrong and counterproductive to physically abuse our children, many others cultures see it as normal." The Doctor said to her, hand on her shoulder as she turned away. "It was one of the _only _things we did right when it came to our children." She shrugged him off, wandering back to Kazran, who pressing some more buttons, and she saw the icebox light up, presumably an unfreezing process.

"What's wrong?" Kazran asked the Doctor as a sonic noise began to sound through the room.

"Oh no, tell me I'm imagining it," Aliya said to the bowtie wearer, anticipation on her face. "Just for once, could we not get chased by anything?"

"What's she talking about?" Kazran asked the Doctor with worry etched on his face.

"It's just my screwdriver trying to repair itself. It's signalling the other half."

"And where do you suppose that is?" Aliya said sarcastically with crossed arms.

"Inside the shark." Kazran said, horror dawning on him as dangerous sounds grew louder.

"Sounds like she's woken up." The Doctor said as the shark approached them. "Okay, so it's homing in on the screwdriver."

"Doctor!" Aliya yelled as the shark dived for the two males, who jumped to a side each to get out of the way, knocking over iceboxes as they did so. "Run, you idiots!" She then followed her own instruction, before thinking of another way she may be able to help, remember Kazran's words from earlier on the tape. She opened her mouth and began to sing a Gallifreyan lullaby, one she had not sung since the days of her third incarnation, with her adopted daughter of sorts, Anna. Her singing was nothing special but she could hold the tune, and hopefully it would work well enough. The shark did slow slightly, but it was nowhere near enough. That was when she felt a hand on her arm. Abigail, now out of the ice box, stood next to her. The human woman opened her mouth and began to sing in an astoundingly beautiful and powerful classical voice.

The shark was affected much more quickly by the new song. Abigail took the other woman's hand and led her over to the now still shark. She indicated for Aliya to keep singing, but the other woman didn't know how to, as she didn't know the song. But she tried to add a few notes of harmony in a few places, and Abigail smiled, seemingly pleased at her effort.

The two woman knelt by the shark, stroking it softly. They smiled at each other as Kazran edged out the boxes and watched with awe. The Doctor finally appeared looking very rumpled, and stood next to Kazran. Aliya gave him a smile and a shrug before looking back at the shark.

"It's not really the singing, you know," The Doctor told Kazran.

"Yes it is!" The boy argued.

"Nah…"

"Fish love the singing, it's true!"

"Nah, the notes resonate in the ice crystals, causing a delta-wave pattern in the fog-ah!- fish, bit me." He said, turning around to wave a fish away and cradle his cheek where it had bit him.

"Well shut up then," Kazran told him. Abigail looked at them while she sang before looking back to Aliya, who shrugged almost apologetically.

"Of course, that's how the machine controls the cloud belt. The clouds are ice crystals, and if you could vibrate the crystals at exactly the right frequency, you could align them into – ow! – why do they keep biting me?" He exclaimed. Aliya rolled her eyes at him.

"Look, fish like the singing, okay?" Kazran said firmly. "Now shut up!"

The Doctor looked irritated and made a childish face at the boy. "Okay!" He conceded.

Kazran watched Abigail with growing awe, a huge smile on his face.

* * *

"You're going to love this!" Aliya said excitedly, flinging open the doors as the Doctor got the box ready. The two humans followed her and stopped when they properly saw the interior, and the splendour of the console room.

"It's bigger on the inside," Kazran said in amazement while Abigail just smiled in wonder.

"It's the colour, really knocks the walls back," The Doctor replied.

"That," Aliya said to him, "Was the worst cover up excuse for trans-dimensional engineering I have ever heard, and _that _is saying something."

"Oh shut up, you!" He said as he finished. "Shark in a box to go!" The other three rushed over to help him pull it inside before following him up to the console of the TARDIS.

"But this is amazing!" Abigail cried happily as the Doctor bounced around the console manically and Aliya helped him.

"Nah, I keep amazing...out here." He ran over to open the doors, revealing them to be in the sky amongst the stormy clouds, and a school of fish flew swum past through the air. The clouds swirled and all the fish raced past in various groups, only the bigger ones in pairs or by themselves.

The two women and the boy looked out in wonder.

"Now, let's get this shark out!" The Doctor said, rushing over to the icebox. Kazran got out a camera and took a picture of Abigail, then gestured for Aliya to move in closer so he could take a shot of both of them. Abigail smiled at the other blonde as they leaned their heads together.

"Great," He told them happily. They managed to get the shark out, to everyone's joy. The shark took off into the sky.

"Whoo who!" Kazran whooped happily. "Look at her go!" Aliya smiled to herself before helping the Doctor close the now empty box. She noticed the number on the front and was about to mention it when he too took a look.

"Abigail, this number, what does it mean?" The Doctor asked Abigail. She smiled sadly.

"The number pertains to me, sir, not the fish." The woman replied. Aliya snorted and nudged the Doctor in the ribs.

"Sir," She teased, and he rolled his eyes and batted her hands away.

"How?" He asked Abigail. She frowned slightly.

"You are a doctor, you say. Are you one of mine?" She asked slowly, taking in his face as if she was trying to remember.

"Why, do you need a doctor?" He inquired, but was distracted by sudden dinging of the TARDIS. He ran off to rectify the situation and look as mad as possible while doing it, because what was the point of doing anything else?

"Are you okay?" Aliya asked the other woman quietly. Abigail smiled.

"I feel wonderful," She said. "This is the best day I have had in a long time."

"It's almost Christmas Day!" The Doctor said urgently. They set to work getting the icebox back down into the basement. Once they were there and the icebox was back in place, Abigail walked back inside it.

"If you should ever wish to visit again," She told them with a wistful tone.

"Oh, you know, if I'm ever in the neighbourhood." He said, leaning on the side of the box to try and look suave and cool. Aliya was very sorely tempted to find a way to make him fall over, but decided against it.

"They come every Christmas Eve!" Kazran told her quickly, and Aliya laughed. "Every time, they promise!"

"Yep," Aliya agreed while the Doctor uselessly did his best to deny it. They closed the icebox door and walked back to the TARDIS.

"You do promise, don't you?" Kazran asked as the two adults went to enter the TARDIS.

"Alright, I suppose I could." The Doctor agreed reluctantly.

"I'm going to go and visit a friend," Aliya said suddenly. "So you might not see me for a while, but I'll turn up, I promise." She gave the little boy a kiss on the cheek. "Bye for now, Kazran."

They entered the TARDIS, and the Doctor dropped her off to check on the older Kazran while he skipped to the next Christmas Eve, ready to have a night out with the younger Kazran and Abigail.

* * *

Aliya entered the study, noting the picture on the wall had changed to one of Abigail. She smiled. Kazran was sitting on the floor, looking at photographs. He looked up when she came in.

"Am I the friend you had to visit?" He asked curiously, trying to wrap his head around the time travel. She nodded and joined him on the floor. Already she could see a large difference in his general demeanour as well as how he treated her. He was almost being nice, and she could no longer dislike him either. "These pictures are wonderful." She said. They sifted through all of them, laughing occasionally.

* * *

Meanwhile, the Doctor had other plans. "Merry Christmas!" The Doctor and Kazran yelled as they opened the door to the icebox. Both were wearing bowties and Santa hats.

"Doctor!" Abigail said happily. The three of them ran out of the icebox room, carrying riding gear. "What are we going to do?"

"The Doctor's got a great plan! Wait until you hear." Kazran told her excitedly.

* * *

"You are out of your mind, this will _never _work." Abigail told the Doctor. "This is never going to work!"

"Oh, don't think shark! Think dolphin!"

"But a shark isn't a dolphin!" Abigail argued.

"It's nearly a dolphin!" He retorted.

"No it isn't!"

"But that's where you're wrong, because…oh shut up!" He told her when he could not think of a good enough statement to use to argue back.

"But it could be anywhere!" Kazran added, jumping out of the carriage. "Will it really come?"

"No chance, completely impossible. Except at Christmas," The Doctor said as the sonic screwdriver began to make an encouraging noise. They rode the carriage around the skies for hours, letting out yells of delight as the shark flew them through the clouds.

* * *

"Best Christmas Eve ever!" Abigail said as she stepped into the box again.

"Until the next one," Kazran said happily.

The Doctor closed the box, and neither of them noticed that the number on the front of the box was going down.

* * *

Kazran and Aliya shifted through the pictures as he explained what they had done for each Christmas Eve. "New memories," He murmured. "How can I have new memories?"

"Time can be rewritten, into a completely new story." Aliya told him.

"What a story it is," He said to himself.

He told Aliya of the pyramids, which she eyed wistfully and made a mental note to make a request of to the Doctor at the later date when all of the 'Christmas carol' business was over.

* * *

The Doctor and a now grown Kazran opened the icebox to reveal Abigail, and the three of them entered the TARDIS with the usual excitement. The Doctor was his usual cheery self, Kazran now more quiet but still clearly enjoying himself already, and Abigail was grinning like she did every Christmas Eve.

"Kazran!" Abigail said with pleased surprise. "You've grown. And now you're blushing."

"Sorry," He said awkwardly.

"That's okay."

"So, Doctor, where to this time?" Kazran asked the Doctor quickly.

"We're going to pick up an old friend, and then we've got all of time and space to choose from." The Time Lord replied, and flew the TARDIS into the future.

* * *

Aliya heard the TARDIS materialise again, and got up from the floor. Kazran had not missed it either.

"Have fun," He called when she had reached the door of the room.

"I'll see you there." Aliya retorted with a grin. He smiled and went back to looking through the photos. She stepped into the TARDIS, and was immediately greeted by a gleeful Abigail who hugged her excitedly.

"Aliya! It's so good to see you again. Where did you go?" The human woman asked her.

"What matters is that I'm back, and here to stay this time." Aliya replied, and the statement earned her another hug. "Kazran," She nodded at the young man, smiling. "I see you've grown."

"I was just saying the same," Abigail agreed while looking at him shyly.

"Aliya! Good to see you. How's our friend doing?" The Doctor said happily.

"Okay. I think it is working. We're actually getting along now," Aliya told him, and the Doctor grinned.

"Now there's a good sign! Aliyanadevoralundar and grumpy old Kaz-" The Doctor realised what he had been about to say and quickly changed it when Kazran shot him a confused look, "-Grumpy face, getting along? Who'd have thought?"

"No one is more surprised than me or him." Aliya replied.

"Now, which Christmas Eve do you want? All of space and time."

"Might I make a request?" Abigail asked.

"Of course," The Doctor said, surprised.

"This one."

* * *

Aliya, the Doctor and Kazran looked on as Abigail watched her family through the door. The small, poor family were happily decorating their house and preparing for Christmas, with grins on their faces.

"Who are they?" Kazran asked the other two.

"Her family." They replied at the same time.

"The woman's her sister. We met her once, when she was…" The Doctor paused.

"Older," Aliya finished for him, grinning.

"Doctor," Kazran whispered. "Abigail's crying."

"Yes," The Doctor said.

"When girls are crying, are you supposed to talk to them?" He asked the Doctor while Aliya watched with amusement. The Doctor frowned.

"I have absolutely no idea." He said blankly.

Kazran turned to Aliya with slight desperation. "Aliya, you're a girl-"

"Well spotted," She said with a grin.

"_Are _you supposed to talk to them?" He finished.

Aliya shook her head in amusement. "Yes, you silly human!" She said. "Go get her!" She pushed him forward towards Abigail, and he looked back nervously. Aliya and the Doctor made encouraging gestures until he turned around and stood by Abigail. The two humans talked with entwined hands as they looked through the window.

"You are such a fibber," Aliya said to the Doctor as she watched them.

"What do you mean?" He asked indignantly.

"'_I have absolutely no idea'_? You're over a millennia old, and you've travelled with females for over half of your life. You know lots about women, particularly about comforting them, and _that _is something I know from experience. Unless the emotions of human women somehow escape you?"

"Oh, just shut up!" He retorted, looking away from her.

A minute or so later, the two humans were very surprised when the curtain in front of the door opened to show Aliya and the Doctor waving at them from inside the house.

* * *

"Every Christmas Eve?" Abigail's sister, Isabella asked. "I don't understand."

"I'm not sure I do!" Abigail said with a smile.

While they talked, the others were all occupied. Aliya was silently watching the Doctor show a card trick to the young boy. In the background, Isabella's husband was worrying about the mantle decorations before deciding to start again, employing Kazran to assist him, which was how the two sisters ended up watching the young man.

"That's Sardick's boy, isn't it?" Isabella asked her sister.

"He's not like his father." Abigail defended.

"Or at least, he won't be now. Maybe before…" Aliya speculated, but neither of the other two women understood.

"His father treats everyone like cattle. One day that boy will do the same." Isabella said with certainty.

"No," Abigail argued as she looked at Kazran again, affection in her eyes, "He's different."

"Three of clubs!" The Doctor said triumphantly as he held up the card. The boy shook his head.

"No…"

Aliya smirked. "Apparently card tricks is another thing we can add to the list of, 'Things the Doctor thinks he can do, but can't'. I think we've got about 12 so far…though personally, my favourite was the fishing. You got so excited, insisted you had the finest fish in the entire galaxy, and then it turned out there was a Graske on the end, and we had to run for our lives."

The Doctor was determined to prove his friend wrong, and pressed the little boy. "Are you sure? Because I'm very good at card tricks." He said, ignoring Aliya's snort.

"It wasn't the three of clubs." The boy said simply.

"Yes, well, of course it wasn't…" The Doctor said immediately to cover his mislaid tracks. "It was the seven of diamonds."

"No."

"Oi! Stop it, you're doing it wrong." The Doctor complained, tossing the card away.

"Sure, blame the child!" Aliya scoffed.

"I see him around the town sometimes," Isabella was saying to Abigail, "Never any friends."

"He's got me," Abigail reminded her.

"All those Christmas Eves and you never once came to see us," The other woman said suddenly.

"I'm here now!"

"Then stay, stay for tomorrow. Have Christmas dinner with us."

"I can't."

"Well then…" Isabella stood up to address the whole family. "Tomorrow's Christmas dinner is cancelled as my sister refuses to attend."

"Isabella…" Abigail said with a pained voice.

"Instead…we'll have it tonight."

Everyone in the room grinned at each other.

* * *

"Three, two, one, PULL!" The Doctor said as everyone pulled on the crackers with enthusiasm and cheered as the crackling sound filled the air. The boy held up a folded playing card that had been in his cracker.

"How did you do that?" He asked the Doctor, awe and delight in his voice.

"Your card, I believe," The Doctor replied smugly.

"No!" The boy unfolded the card to show it was the eight of spades.

"What about this?" Aliya asked, and pulled a card out of her jacket before handing it to the boy. He unfolded it and his face lit up before he turned it around to show the others.

"Yeah!" He exclaimed. She grinned and just lifted her eyebrows at the Doctor triumphantly. It felt good to do better at something than him, as it didn't happen very often, especially not now that she was travelling with him, as he had far more universal experience than she did. But he just gaped at her.

"How did you do that?" He asked finally with a large amount of indignation.

"Maybe you were just doing it wrong," She said innocently, "Or maybe I'm a little better than you thought." She took her mug to join in the toast, and the chorus of 'Merry Christmas' was a cheerful one as they all lifted their glasses and drank deeply. Aliya eyed her friend over the top of her mug and laughed at how put out he looked. So, to make him feel like he was once again superior - because it was Christmas and the nice thing to do - she asked him a question.

"So Doctor," Aliya held up her pink paper crown that had come out of her Christmas cracker and scrutinised it carefully, "Explain the purpose of these ridiculous paper hats…"

* * *

"Best Christmas Eve ever!" Abigail said as she hugged the Doctor goodbye.

"Until the next one."

"And if you must leave again, don't let it be for so long!" She said to Aliya as she hugged the other woman.

"Oh, no! She won't be gone for long at all. I have a special Christmas Eve in mind for reasonably soon. You're going to love it, Aliya. Don't worry Abigail, she'll be there even if I have to dress and drag her there myself." The Doctor said firmly, and when Aliya frowned, he realised the implications of what he had said. "I mean, not _dress _as such…"

"Oh, Doctor, it's none of my business." Abigail said gently.

"No, but-"

"Anyway, I'd like to say goodnight to Kazran now." Aliya understood Abigail's meaning and began to back away.

"Of course, yes." The Doctor continued to stand there obliviously. "Well on you go!" He said when they only stared at him. Abigail threw the other blonde a glance that clearly read _'help!'_, and Aliya grabbed the Doctor's hand and yanked him backwards so she could give him a meaningful look which alerted him to the situation.

"Oh, _oh! _Yes, right." He said while looking between Abigail and Kazran.

"Come on…" Aliya said through gritted teeth as she did her best to pull him backwards.

"Goodnight," He said to Abigail before turning to Kazran, "Good _luck." _Aliya elbowed him in the ribs. "-Night." He corrected instantly."Goodnight."

Finally he turned around and he and Aliya began to walk back to the TARDIS – though not before she saved him from walking into an icebox. They turned when Kazran soon followed them with obvious anxiety. "Doctor!" He stage whispered urgently and they both turned to face him. "I _think_ she's going to kiss me."

"Yeah, I _think _you're right." The Doctor responded.

"And I _know_ you are." Aliya added her piece of womanly wisdom The Doctor pushed Kazran towards Abigail but he simply came back. Abigail watched with a worried expression, and Aliya smiled in what she hoped was a reassuring way and gave her a significant look that said, _'don't worry, I'll sort it'_.

"I've never kissed a girl before!" Kazran said, showing the classic nervousness preluding a first kiss. "What do I do?"

"Well…" The Doctor looped an arm around Kazran's shoulders. Aliya noted this and decided to let him handle the situation. "Try to be nervous and rubbish and a bit shaky."

"Why?"

"Because you're going to be like that anyway, you might as well make it part of the plan, then it will feel on purpose."

"Just go with it," Aliya added. "It should come naturally."

They pushed him back towards Abigail again, but again he returned, protesting all the while.

"Look, it's this or going back to your room and designing a new kind of screwdriver! Don't make my mistakes!" The Doctor told him. "Now, go." With a final push Kazran approached Abigail. The Doctor and Aliya grinned at each other before continuing to walk away, though the latter could not help but quickly glance back at the couple who were now kissing passionately.

The Doctor dropped Aliya back to the older Kazran for a while before taking the TARDIS back to take Abigail and the younger Kazran to more Christmas Eves.

All the while, Aliya stopped to think about the story of the Doctor designing a prototype sonic instead of wooing a girl...and realised it was a story Drax had once told her with great enthusiasm...the girl in question had been Ushas (later, the Rani), long before Aliya herself had arrived at the Academy. Perhaps it was best that particular romance had not bloomed...though she very much doubted it would have lasted. The Doctor and the Rani...never were there two more incompatible people!

* * *

"Paris looks incredible." Aliya's tone was wistful.

"It was," Kazran said with a sigh as he looked at the photo once more.

"I had a cousin who told me about it once," She replied dreamily. "She said despite there being problems with Jagaroth and the Mona Lisa being a fake, it was still incredibly lovely."

She also thought that the Empire State building looked mildly interesting, and stored it away with many other destinations for later requests. Kazran removed a folder that read '_California – 1952', _and pulled out some photos. Aliya saw herself in them and immediately got up.

"Looks like I need to go," She told Kazran, who merely nodded and continued to flick through them. She was not surprised to find the TARDIS on the other side of the doors, and let herself in.

"There she is!" The Doctor said to the others while flashing her a grin. "We were just heading off to-"

"California, 1952. I know." Aliya said, and left in pursuit of the dress she had seen herself wearing in the photos, though constantly hating every paradoxical moment of it. The Doctor and his time meddling...

* * *

"Aliya, darling, do tell me more about this man of yours!" Marilyn Monroe implored enthusiastically before bringing her cigarette to her mouth once again while Aliya tried to avoid looking at it with mild disgust.

"Well, he's not _mine, _as such..."

"Really? I assumed…no matter, darling. He's a fool for not wanting you." Marilyn assured her in what she believed was a comforting tone when Aliya did not want or need anything of the sort.

Aliya fiddled with the skirt of her dress. It was purple and came down to mid-calf but seemed higher. It had a floaty skirt that stuck out a considerable way, with a halter neckline that tied behind her neck. Aliya had also spent time on her hair making it curlier and more styled than usual.

"And look at your hair! A bit more work, and you could almost be my twin. We make quite a pair." Marilyn sounded pleased.

"Yes we do," Aliya agreed with an amused and fond smile.

"Now, since he's not yours, perhaps you could introduce me? If it does not bother you, of course."

"Sure," The Time Lady agreed, and led the woman in the pale green dress over to the Doctor, who had his hair gelled back and was wearing a tuxedo and black bowtie.

* * *

"I'll find a telephone!" Marilyn announced grandly before leaving the room, a little drunk but still unfortunately still too much in her right mind. The Doctor waited for her to leave before rushing over to Aliya – who had been watching the whole affair with considerable amusement - and pulling her out of her chair abruptly.

She mentally noted the lipstick smear on his face and smirked.

"Aliya, we've got to find Kazran and Abigail. Did you hear what she said?" He was panicking slightly as he dragged her from the main house to the pool area where they had left the two humans earlier.

"Yes, she said something about calling St Mary's, and how it was a lovely chapel that would do a nice quick service. Though I must say, that was a lovely duet with Frank you did before!" Aliya said casually, and rolled her eyes when he shot her an exasperated look, "Don't you look at me like that, this is your own fault."

"You introduced us! And then you just sat there laughing while she…" He made awkward gestures with his hands in attempt to explain Marilyn constantly making moves on him, "And you just sat there!" He emphasised again.

"You're a big boy," She cooed slightly, and patted him on the shoulder. They then spotted Kazran and Abigail and the Doctor hurried towards them while Aliya didn't bother moving past normal pace.

"Guys!" He called out to the pair, "We've really got to go quite quickly, I just accidently got engaged to Marilyn Monroe!"

Kazran and Abigail had locked lips and seemed to have no intention of stopping.

"How do you keep going like that?" The Doctor asked incredulously as he almost examined them. "Do you breathe out your ears?" He tapped on Kazran's head. "Hello? Sorry, guys! She's phoned a chapel, there's a car outside, this is happening now!"

"I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that they don't care. Now stop being such a drama king, put your big boy bowtie on and either figure out how to deal with it, or go through with it," Aliya told him as she came down the steps and joined him.

"Yoo Hoo!" Marilyn called from a distance, and his head snapped around.

"Yoo hoo…" He said lamely before turning back. Aliya sniggered and mocked his 'yoo hoo', receiving a glare which he then ignored. He sighed in defeat. "Alright, fine, thank you, I'll just go and get married, shall I? Let's see how you like that."

"I'm sure that will really hit them hard," Aliya responded sarcastically.

"Shut up," He told her before leading her back towards the main house and Marilyn, whom he then called out to. "Marilyn! Get your coat!"

"Marilyn, can I be bridesmaid?" Aliya called out enthusiastically to the other blonde woman. The Doctor frowned at how at ease Aliya seemed with the whole situation.

"Darling, I wouldn't want anyone else!" Marilyn replied as they came nearer. She draped herself around the Doctor and linked her arm through Aliya's as the three of them got into the car.

* * *

The Doctor buzzed his sonic at the fish while Abigail and Kazran said their goodbyes. Aliya watched the fish with never faded wonder, smiling at them. The sound of the icebox closing told them it was now appropriate for them to approach Kazran again.

"There we go, another day, another Christmas Eve! I'll see you in a minute – I mean, a year." The Doctor said to Kazran.

"Good bye, Kazran!" Aliya said cheerfully as they headed back to the TARDIS.

"Um, Doctor? Aliya?" Kazran called to them, and they turned around. "Listen…why don't we leave it?" Aliya's face and heart dropped as she guessed his meaning, while the Doctor had not yet picked up on it.

"Leave what?" He asked the young man.

"You know…this. Every Christmas Eve, it's getting kind of old."

"Old?" The Doctor was confused.

"Well, Christmas is for kids, isn't it?" Kazran replied offhandedly. He began undoing the bowtie. "I've got some work with my dad now, I'm going to focus on that. Get that cloud belt under control." He grinned, but it didn't reach his eyes in the slightest. Aliya lingered some way behind the Doctor, eyeing the boy who had been her newest friend with sadness and something that almost felt like betrayal. But it was defeat, something the Doctor was beginning to see as well.

"Sorry, um, I didn't realise I was boring you," He said lamely to Kazran.

"It's not your fault. Times change." The young man began to walk away.

"Not as much as we'd hoped," The Doctor said softly, and Aliya squeezed his hand briefly in reassurance before letting go. "Kazran." He strode after him, holding up his broken sonic screwdriver. "I'll be needing a new one anyway. What the hell, Merry Christmas." He placed the screwdriver in Kazran's hand. "And if you ever need us, just activate it and we'll hear you."

"I won't need you," Kazran said immediately, and Aliya looked down sadly.

"Something's happened," She said, moving closer to them. "Something must have. Because this isn't you, Kazran. You were going to be brilliant, you were going to save thousands of lives. Now look at you. What haven't you told us?" Kazran didn't replied but attempted to smile before walking away, but Aliya called out to him. "What about Abigail?" She asked. "Are you just going to leave her there, frozen for all eternity?" She could not help the slight anger that seeped into her voice, her feelings for the Kazran she had first met – the old, horrible one – coming back to the surface to spite the younger one who was almost recreating what they had destroyed.

"I know where to find her," Kazran said dismissively, gesturing to the ice boxes before leaving the two of them alone.

"We could open the box again and ask Abigail," Aliya suggested, wrapping her arms around herself to try and ward off the cold.

"No, I think we'll just have to wait until he calls us. Come on." The Doctor took her hand and they walked back into the TARDIS.

"_If _he calls us." Aliya said quietly to herself.

* * *

Kazran walked into his bedroom and opened the drawer where he had previously placed the sonic screwdriver after the Doctor had given it to him. He held it up, feeling the familiar weight in his hand and the simple elegance of it despite it being half broken. He turned to see the Doctor and Aliya leaning against the window of his room, and could see the TARDIS behind them. The Doctor's face was impassive, while Aliya's was openly sad and pleading. Kazran strode to the window, and the Doctor brought his head down to smile at the young man. Aliya reached her hand out to him, pressing it on the glass.

Kazran scowled and snapped the curtains shut before returning the sonic screwdriver to the door and leaving the room.

* * *

Aliya lent her head on the glass with defeat after the curtains shut.

"Now what are we going to do?" She asked.


	24. A Christmas Carol: Last Day

"Yes, I know. 4001. But as a very old friend of mine took a very long time to explain, life isn't fair!" Kazran barked into the phone before hanging up. Aliya stepped out from behind a curtain before striding into the middle of the room. "You again?" The old man asked angrily. "Get out of my house and leave me alone."

Aliya raised an eyebrow and glared him down. "You thought this was over? You are so wrong. We're not finished with you yet. You asked me earlier what my part was in this? Here it is. I'm the Ghost of Christmas Present." She put her hands on her hips.

"You're hardly a ghost," He retorted. She glowered at him.

"Shut up," She said before getting out a comm and talking into it. "Captain? Get it going now." The sound of singing suddenly started, coming from the direction of the icebox filled basement.

"What is that?" He asked, looking around.

"Come and see," Aliya replied before setting off towards it. He grudgingly followed.

They went down the stairs and Aliya opened the door before both of them walked inside. "The Doctor said it's called Silent Night. I wouldn't know," The blonde said bashfully as she looked at the people with concern. When he didn't answer, she continued anyway. "They're holograms. Projections," She told him.

"Who are they?"

"The people from the ship, the ones you are going to let die tonight when it would be so simple for you to stop it." The anger started to seep through her voice so she said nothing more.

"Why are they singing?" He asked warily as he looked at all the holograms.

"For their lives," Aliya said simply. "How's Abigail?"

His reaction was not what she expected. "How should I know? I never opened that box again." He said bitterly.

"Why not?" She asked in surprise. "You loved her."

"Oh really?" Kazran sneered. "Because you know so much about love. You, who trails around after the Doctor like a lost puppy. I've seen the way you look at him, when you think there's no one looking. But he just leaves you behind to do his dirty work and picks you up when he feels like it."

"Don't talk about things you don't understand," Aliya said, bringing her face close to his. "I've been patient with you, Kazran. But as the Doctor has already pointed out, you're 4002. We're trying to do this nicely, but if I have to take your hands and _make_ you activate that machine, I will." She moved away, her eyes daring him to answer.

"Nicely? He's changed my whole past, my whole life!" Kazran argued.

"He was trying to turn you into a nicer person, because you're the only person who can let that ship land," Aliya corrected him, "Time can be rewritten."

"You tell the Doctor from me, and remember it yourself: People can't!" Kazran yelled. He turned and strode away from her, but she followed from a slight distance. Kazran looked into Abigail's icebox, staring at the beautiful face that was frozen inside.

"There she is, safe and sound," Aliya said from behind him.

"I would never have known her if you and the Doctor hadn't changed the course of my whole life to suit yourselves," Kazran said without looking at her.

"4002," She reminded him. "And stop saying it like that's a bad thing! Abigail's love is what made you a better person. It's a good thing."

"No!" He said angrily.

"Why is she still in there? You love her, and you could get her out any time."

"Oh yes, any time at all, any time I choose," Kazran said absently as he put his hand on the glass of the box. Aliya said nothing, and waited. "This is what you and the Doctor did to me. Abigail was ill when she went into the ice, on the point of death. I suppose the rest in the ice helped her, but she's used up her time. All those Christmas Eves with us…I could release her any time I want, and she would live a single day." His finger stroked the dial that had only one numeral displayed, the lowest of them all.

Aliya felt like someone had punched her in the stomach. It all made sense now.

"_You are a Doctor, you say? Are you one of mine?" _How had she missed something this big?

"So tell me Ghost of Christmas Present, Aliya, whatever you call yourself, how do I choose which day?" He asked angrily. Aliya's eyes were damp and a few silent tears ran down her cheeks. She approached him and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't know, she never said, neither of you did," She said softly. He roughly shoved her hand off.

"It's too late for your apologies." He said bitterly.

"But you know something? She has more time left than anyone on that ship has." Aliya said suddenly.

"Good!" Kazran said forcefully. Aliya put the comm to her mouth again.

"Captain, widen the beam." She said with forced determination, and her sad eyes watched him as their surroundings changed completely. Sirens blared and explosions and crashes could be heard every other second. People were dashing, the atmosphere drowning with the tension and panic inside the jolting room.

"How did we get here?" Kazran asked Aliya. She shook her head.

"We didn't. It's our turn to be the holograms. Captain," She acknowledged the dark-haired woman with a nod.

"Thank you, for all of this," The Captain replied.

"Because since you're going to let all of these people die tonight I thought you might want see where it's going to happen, where their bodies are going to be found," Aliya said with disgust, and the Captain flinched at her words, but they did not affect the old man like she had hoped they would.

"The singing, what is it?" He asked, ignoring her statement. "I don't understand."

"It was the Doctor's idea. The harmonies resonate in the ice crystals, that's why the fish like it. Singing, remember?" She tried a smile and got no response. "Anyway, he thought maybe it would stabilise the ship, but it isn't working, it's not powerful enough."

"Why are they still singing then?"

The Captain turned around, her face and voice pained. "Because we haven't told them." She came closer and leaned on the rail. "Sir, I understand you have a machine that controls this cloud layer. If you can release us from it we still have time to make a landing. Nobody has to die!"

"Everybody has to die," Kazran replied coldly, staring her down.

"Not tonight," Aliya said immediately, her voice warning him.

"Tonight's as good as any other night." He said.

"Look, you-" Aliya felt the rage rise up in her again and she made a move towards him, but a new voice came through the comms.

"Aliya…just bring yourselves back down." The Doctor told her. She closed her eyes in resignation before nodding at the Captain. The ship blinked out of their vision, and they were back among the iceboxes once more. The TARDIS was open behind them and the Doctor was leaning on a box, waiting. Aliya moved towards him and he stretched his hand out to take hers and pull her next to him. Probably to make sure she didn't try something stupid, like hit Kazran.

"I'm sorry," He finally said to Kazran. "I didn't realise."

"All my life I've been called heartless," The old man replied. "My old life, my real life. The one you rewrote." He turned to look at the frozen Abigail. "Now look at me."

"Better a broken heart than no heart at all." The Doctor replied.

"Oh, try it. You try it!" Kazran said.

Aliya looked at him. "You sound so sure that we haven't." There was a moment of silence.

"Why are you here?" Kazran asked them.

"Because we're not finished with you yet," The Doctor answered as he began walking forward while pulling Aliya with him. "You've seen the past, the present, now you need to see the future."

"Fine, show me! I'll die cold, alone and afraid. Of course I will, we all do! What difference does showing me make?" Kazran snarled. "Do you know why I'm going to let those people die? Not a plan, I don't get anything from it, it's just that I don't care. I'm not like you, I don't even want to be like either of you, I just don't and never will care!"

The Doctor stared Kazran in the eyes. "And I don't believe that."

"Then show me the future, prove me wrong!" Kazran countered.

He had not noticed Aliya moving towards something behind him.

"He is. He's showing you right now." Aliya said, and the old man turned around to see her standing by a younger him, the child. The boy stared at his older self. "Is this who you want to become, Kazran?" She asked the boy, who looked up at her briefly before again staring at the old man. The two Kazran's looked at each other briefly before slowly moving towards each other.

"Dad?" The younger one asked fearfully.

The older one growled and threw his staff to the floor before raising his hand.

"No!" Aliya yelled, and started moving towards the pair in attempt to save the boy. But she saw his hand begin to falter and stopped. She could see in his eyes he was remembering, but his younger self was watching with wide eyes, terrified.

The old Kazran brought his raised hand to his face as he began to sob tears of true pain and loss.

"I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry." He said to the boy, who moved away a little in fear, but he took hold of him. Aliya moved back towards the Doctor but continued to watch as the pair embraced, comforting each other through their shared tears.

"Kazran," Aliya said reluctantly. He looked up at them.

"There isn't much time," The Doctor told him.

* * *

The ship had five minutes left, but when it seemed as though all hope was lost Aliya flicked onto the screen.

"Prepare to lock onto our signal." She said seriously, before smiling a little. "We did it. We just saved Christmas."

* * *

"Are we good to go yet?" The Doctor asked Kazran, who was attempting to use the machine. Aliya watched with a grim expression, her arms folded across her chest, fear and anticipation eating at her. She knew that she should be relieved that the Doctor's plan worked, but she just had a bad feeling in her gut.

"The controls, they won't respond!" Kazran exclaimed.

"Of course they will, they're isomorphic, they're tuned to your brainwaves, they'll only respond to you." The Doctor argued.

"They won't respond," said Kazran simply.

"But that doesn't make sense, that's ridiculous!" The Time Lord fiddled with the controls uselessly while Aliya eyed him sadly.

"Doctor," She said quietly.

"Not now, Aliya! Busy."

"Doctor." The pain and defeat in her voice made him turn around, and when their eyes locked he realised their fatal mistake.

"Oh, oh, of course. Stupid, stupid Doctor." He bowed his head in defeat.

"What is it? Tell me, what is it?" Kazran asked urgently.

Aliya spoke up properly for the first time, moving away from the counter of the machine where she had been leaning on, "You. We were so busy trying to get this 'Christmas Carol' thing to work we missed the obvious flaw in his plan."

"What do you mean?"

"The machine doesn't recognise you. We've changed you too much," She explained, and the man's face fell.

"No, but my father programmed it-"

"You father would never have programmed it to the man you are now," The Doctor corrected him.

"Then what do we do?"

The Doctor remained silent as the two Kazran's looked at him. Aliya crossed the room to stand next to him. "Um… I dunno, I dunno." He said. He looked at Aliya with a small amount of hope that was crushed when she shook her head sadly.

"There must be something we can do!" The young Kazran said with determination.

"What about this? I kept it!" The old Kazran held up the half of the sonic screwdriver.

The Doctor took one look at it and rolled his eyes. "What, half a screwdriver? Maybe if I had a whole one, but Aliya's lost hers-" He shot an annoyed look at the Time Lady, who bristled.

"Now? You seriously want to start on that now?" She said in angry disbelief.

"But half a screwdriver…" The Doctor continued, and suddenly stopped. Aliya recognised what she knew as his 'idea' face. "With the other half up in the sky inside a big old shark, right in the heart of the cloud layer."

"Oh!" Aliya said suddenly, a smile beginning to dawn on her face, but he didn't stop.

"If we use your aerial to boost the signal," He said.

"And send out a resonation pattern between the two halves," Aliya continued for him, and he grinned at her.

"See, she's got it too! Oh, come on, now you know that would work. My screwdriver, it could do it." The Doctor said.

"Do what?" Old Kazran asked.

"Trying to repair, it's signalling itself. We use the signal but send something else."

"Like what?" Young Kazran said.

Aliya stiffened. "No…" She whispered, but already knew they didn't have a choice. "Please, no, there has to be something else!" The Doctor shook his head.

"What?" Older Kazran asked, looking between them.

"Abigail…" Aliya said with a pained voice.

"What about her?" His voice has taken a slight edge to it despite the fact that he was still oblivious.

"I'm sorry, Kazran. I truly am," The Doctor said to him, looking the old man in the eye with regret in his own.

"I don't understand." He shook his head.

"We need to transmit something into the cloud layer, something we know works. We need her to sing." Kazran's face fell. He automatically turned to Aliya.

"But you sung with her. You could do it, we don't have to bring her into this!" He said desperately.

Aliya shook her head, moisture gathering at her eyes as she did so. "I'm not good enough. I might be able to make a difference, but it wouldn't be enough. If only my regeneration had gone differently, I could have taken her place." Her hands balled into fists.

"But you can't," The Doctor said gently, but his words had the opposite of the desired effect.

Her face contorted with pain. "Thank you for that, Doctor. No, I can't. Because I really needed you to tell me that," She retorted angrily, her voice cracking a little.

"Aliya…"

She just shook her head wildly with her eyes squeezed shut and ran off in the direction of the basement. The three males exchanged grim looks before doing the same.

* * *

The four people stared at the woman in the icebox.

"Why her? Why not Aliya?" Kazran asked as he stared at the woman he loved, as the unfreezing process began.

"Abigail is different from Aliya. Her voice resonates perfectly in the ice crystals, it calmed the shark, it will calm the sky too." The Doctor explained, and squeezed Aliya's hand reassuringly.

"Could you do it?" Kazran asked with slight venom. "Could you do this? Think about it, Doctor. One last day with your beloved: Which day would you choose?"

The small question set the Doctor's mind reeling.

Jo. _The day they first met, when she ruined his experiment trying to help...a day just in the laboratory laughing...the day she was celebrating her engagement and he had to smile and pretend that he wasn't heartbroken, he had gulped down that champagne and left before he revealed his true thoughts, as she was so young, and he was old inside and out..._

Romana. _The day in Paris, running through the streets and laughing...fighting next to her in the middle of the war, back to back as Daleks came at them from all sides...begging her to come with him before he used the moment, her denying him..._

Rose. _T__he day they first ran together...the day with Jack and Mickey in the cafe, laughing...the day where they had laughed about Queen Victoria and her famous saying...the day they had laughed about Ghostbusters and not known what lay in wait for them... _

River. _The day she had first strode into his life and turned it upside down with her spoilers...the day she had hailed him like a cab and they had fought angels...the day he had asked about her marital status at Rory and Amy's wedding..._

After the rush of names and feelings his thoughts settled on the blonde woman next to him who was staring at him with an incredibly similar expression.

Despite the embarrassment that usually followed between them at the mention or thought of what they used to share, there was no room in their hearts for anything but sadness and regret in those moments, the moments in which they remembered what had been to them for centuries…their last day.

* * *

_Aliyanadevoralundar slipped away from the festivities in the Academy dorms. She trailed sadly down elevators, transmats and stairs until she found the exit she was looking for. _

_Exiting the Citadel always brought a strange glow to her heart, the result of the wonderful feeling of truly being outside and under the stars her species could so easily touch but chose not to. The sky was dark, and the copper moon shone while the pale one almost seemed to be hiding from sight. _

_She removed her hair ornament and threw it into the red grass around her without a second thought. She shook out her long blonde ringlets and set off towards the meeting place, boots kicking under her long, dark red dress beaded with the finest gold Gallifreyan embrodiery (a symbol of her affiliation with the Prydonians), with a new sense of confidence and freedom that she knew would not last long. As she approached the silver leaved tree that had long ago become 'their tree' she saw a familiar silhouette and picked up her pace. _

_Aliya exchanged grins with Theta Sigma - dressed in the same finery and colours as her - as she got closer to him and the tree. The drooping canopy put up only a small fight as she charged through it to find herself in Theta's arms. __She placed a light kiss on his neck as he pulled her against him, and her arms wrapped around his shoulders while he did the same._

"_Hey," Theta said after a minute or two. _

"_Hey," Aliya replied with a small giggle before they pulled apart. "So you finally got away." _

"_I don't know if I will ever joke about Arpexia again," He said almost seriously. "Lungbarrow is still ridiculously pompous. Two hours, that's how long my parents lectured me about how I had only just graduated and that I would have to put in a lot more effort if I was ever going to be worth anything." _

_Aliya giggled again and brushed a speck of dirt off his cheek. "Well I think their definition of worth is twisted." She said. "But Arpexia is still terrible. My father thinks the name I picked is stupid." _

"_Apparently mine is 'unnecessarily sentimental'." Theta said with a raised eyebrow. _

_With a smile she looked over him as his new name ran through her head. _

"_I think it suits you. Or, it will." She assured him. _

"_I'll grow into it." He agreed. They sat down on the grass, hands joined but otherwise not touching. _

"'_The Doctor'." Aliya tested the name out. _

"_The Doctor." Theta repeated, sounding more sure. "It's better than some of the other ones that were chosen. Ushas is as proud as ever, she had to go and name herself after a queen."_

"_Koschei is 'The Master' now. That just proves he isn't who he was. The old Koschei would never have done anything like that." Aliya said quietly, and when Theta saw her expression of grief he hugged her tightly, her head against his shoulder. _

"_My Angel." He whispered. _

"_Shut up." She replied with a roll of her eyes he could not see, but could not help smiling a little. _

_He released her except for her hand, which he then used to pull her out of the tree's cover until they stood in the vast expanse of crimson grass under the majestic Gallifreyan sky that towered above them. __Wordlessly, Theta began to sway with her. It soon evolved into a slow and intimate dance that moved in small circles around itself. __Aliya leaned her head on his shoulder as her feet somehow knew what to do by themselves. She took a deep breath before speaking the words - and the truth that went with them - that they had been avoiding for a while._

"_I'm getting married tomorrow," She said quietly. He did not stop moving or tense up as she had expected, but merely held her more tightly to him as their feet continued to move in a synchronised rhythm. _

"_I know," He whispered. There was a silence. "But tomorrow is a long time away. We have all night." _

"_One night. The night before life goes on," Aliya mused. "It's almost poetic." Her tone was a mix of wistfulness and bittersweet pain. _

"_I don't quite know how to get my head around it. The thought of not seeing you every day. It's just wrong." Theta said. _

"_I wish there was something we could do. I don't want this night to end." Aliya whispered, a tear slipping down her face. "I don't want tomorrow to ever come...I don't want what it brings." _

_"I was ready to run away with you," Theta reminded her, "You're the one who refused. And left me with no time to make another plan."_

_"I didn't mean a plan like that. It would never have worked." _

_"You could have tried." The hurt in his voice was obvious as the two of them lay on their backs to look at the constellations above them. _

_"No, I couldn't." _

"_Don't you wish – I know that it's an absurd idea and almost blasphemous to say so , but don't you wish that time could just stand still? That we could just lie here and forget about everything else, the whole world?" Theta said, propping himself up on his elbow to look at her while she turned her head to meet his eyes as her hand travelled upwards to caress his face for a few moments. _

_After a few tortuous moments for Theta, the blonde woman finally laughed quietly. _

"_You're right."_

"_About what?"_

"_That is absurd." _

"_Ali…" Theta never thought _he_ would be the one trying to convince _her_ to be serious. _

_All traces of humour vanished immediately from her eyes, and her lips parted slightly as she looked over him. _

"_But it is an absurdly impossible, wonderful dream. I wish it could be true." She said eventually, her face wet again. Her eyes became far away. So much so, that Theta had to ask what she was thinking and tear her out of her thoughts. "And speaking of impossible...just because I won't leave doesn't mean I never thought about it. How couldn't I? Half of me still wants to run away with you. __Imagine if we ran now. If we just got up and did what you always planned to do, if we stole a capsule and just ran, ran so far they would never be able to find us. Gone before morning, before they could figure out our plan." Aliya let out a small sob._

"_Aliya and Theta Sigma, the Doctor and the Angel, running, with nothing but the open sky and the whole of space and time before us." Theta continued, lifting her chin up with his hand. "Now that would be a legend." She bit her lip and nodded through her tears. He kissed them away. _

"_I can see it, so clearly," Aliya whispered. _"_I want that." Her voice broke, and the young man in front of her kissed her abruptly, loving her more with each word she said._

"_So do I," Theta said as his hands twisted through her majestic hair, taking only a tiny time to breathe and speak the words before capturing her lips with his own again. "And you know that." _

_Too soon she broke away but kept their heads resting on each other, breathing heavily. He could still taste her tears, and his eyes followed them as they continued to slowly flow down her delicate features. _

"_We could never have that," She said slowly as she closed her eyes for a moment. "They would hunt us down and bring us back. We'd be punished." _

_Theta closed his own eyes. "I know. We can't. But one day, I will. And they'll never catch me." _

_Aliya's blue and green eyes opened to watch him with the same expression of slight disbelief that she always got when he seriously talked of one day leaving their planet behind. _

_He stared back, taking in as much as he could of the girl he loved and was about to lose. _"_I don't know how to say it." He said in pained awe._

"_Say what?" _

"_How could I begin to describe how I feel, even in Gallifreyan? Those words are said all the time, they're not enough!" Theta sounded almost angry. Aliya kept a hold on him as she pulled both of their bodies off the grass so they were sitting facing each other. _

_"You don't have to say anything." She touched his face briefly. _

_He stared into her eyes with a smouldering gaze that broke all the pieces of her heart again and again until she was sure she would never find them all. _"_I love you." He said simply._

"_I love you too, more than anything. More than time itself," Aliya replied, her voice not wavering on the one thing in the world she was sure about._

_"Ali - I can't - I want - I need-" His hands shook and she grabbed them and looked into his eyes earnestly. _

_"What?"_

_"I know we haven't, because we thought it would be easier in the end. But I can't just let you walk away with showing you how I feel in the way I want to..." Theta cupped her face and she shut her eyes for a moment. _

_"I know," She whispered, and leaned in to kiss him deeply, "Please, I need just once to be with you. For it to be about love. Not control or marital duty. Please..." _

_"That I can do, my Lady Angel," He replied, and his hands came to rest on the fastenings of her gown, slowing undoing them while her own hands slowly began to remove his Prydonian tunic. He kissed her again, quickly and desperately. As the gown slid from her shoulders, he looked at her with wide eyes full of suddenly uncertainty. _

_"What?" _

_"Ali, I haven't done this before," He resembled a child for a few seconds in how worried he looked, "What if I-"_

_"Hey, it's okay," She pressed her finger to his lips, almost wanting to laugh because suddenly there was an area where she had more experience - even if she didn't want to think about where that experience had come from. "Just trust me. I can show you." She kissed him again, this time softly and slowly. His hands reached for her hips hesitantly, and they shook. But with every passing second they became more sure, and soon he was kissing her forcefully and rolling them back onto the grass, falling there and laughing despite themselves..._

* * *

Aliya closed her eyes for a moment, thinking of the last day and all the tears that had been shed. A few more came in the present as she thought about what had been lost all thse centuries ago.

The Doctor tried not to show any emotion despite the painful memories in his head. He squeezed his companion's hand comfortingly.

Kazran did not comment on their reminiscing, for his own love had stepped from the icebox.

"Christmas," Abigail said with tears in her eyes as she stood in front of Kazran, "Christmas Day. Look at you, you're so old now." She put her hand on his cheek and he touched it. The only ones who did not have tears somewhere on their face were the Doctor and the younger Kazran, and even he was getting emotional, as his hand crept up to touch the place where someday he knew Abigail's hand would be. "I think you waited a bit too long, didn't you?"

Kazran shook his head slightly as he tried to fight back his tears. "I'm sorry," He managed to get out as he stared at her.

"Hoarding my days like an old mizer."She continued, and smiled when he chuckled.

"But," He said to her, his expression changing again, "If you leave the ice now…" Abigail shook her head.

"We've had so many Christmas Eves, Kazran. I think it's time for Christmas Day."

* * *

The ship was almost down, and the crew were praying for a miracle, hoping that the mysterious pair would be able to save them. Suddenly they heard a sound, a beautiful melody sung with complete precision.

They realised that the clouds were clearing and that they would be able to land, and cheers rang out throughout the ship.

* * *

Back in Sardicktown, Abigail sung into the sonic screwdriver.

_When you're alone, silence is all you know, _

"Well?" Kazran asked the Doctor.

"Well, the singing resonates in the crystals, it's feeding and forth between the two halves of the screwdriver…"

_When you're alone, silence is all you know, _

"…One song, filling the sky, the crystals will align in a half patrol phase loop, causing the clouds to unlock."

"What does that mean, unlock? What does it mean when a cloud unlocks?" The young Kazran asked the Doctor in confusion.

"Something that hasn't happened in this town for a very long time now," The Time Lord responded.

_When you're alone, silence is all you see,_

Aliya was enjoying the song but soon got distracted by the results of the clouds unlocking. The five of them looked to the sky as the tiny particles of snow fell down, landing in their hair in an aloof manner.

_When you're alone, silence is all you'll be, _

Aliya held her hands out and let the small pieces of cold white ice land on her open palms. She laughed aloud like a child and moved over to the Doctor and the younger Kazran, both of whom thought her overexcited response to the snow was hilarious and silly. They all laughed, giving the other Kazran and Abigail some privacy as Abigail kept singing but seemed to be directing the words at Kazran.

_When you are here, music is all I want, _

_When you are near, music is all I want, _

The Doctor and Aliya prepared to take the young Kazran back to his own time, and the three of them took one more glance at the couple in the snow before going into the TARDIS.

The blue police box dematerialised and left a square of ground untouched by the snow. Kazran and Abigail waved goodbye.

* * *

Aliya squealed in surprise and sudden cold as a large clump of wet snow hit her in the face. When she had wiped it away all she saw was a laughing Doctor. She grinned at the new game and scooped up her own snowball, which – although going slightly off the course intended (the Doctor's face) – was still bound to have given him a cold left ear after it had been hit by it.

A snowball fight of epic proportions ensued between the two Time Lords.

After a considerable amount of bad shots – mostly from Aliya, although she didn't want to admit it, the Doctor was a _very _good shot- that resulted in innocent pedestrians becoming theoretical collateral damage, a wet and almost ruined jacket, and a bowtie in serious need of a wash, they called a truce, for the Doctor proposed a different game.

* * *

The Doctor moved along the street, making snowmen everywhere. Aliya was at the end near the TARDIS, still working on her first with a perfectionist's eye. She was kneeling in the snow in front of her piece of snow art with her dress all around her and reasonably soaked.

The Doctor approached her and helped her up as they admired her work. The snowman had eyes made from rocks that were exactly the same size, and many other redeeming qualities, but what hit the Doctor the most was her choice of headwear for the snowman.

On the top of the snowman's head was a bright red fez.

"Oh, look, it's got a fez! I love a good fez." He said brightly, secretly proud of her for picking it. "I used to wear one, you know. But then River blew it up."

Aliya laughed fondly. She had not, however, missed the spark and greedy glint in his eye as he looked behind her at the fez. She stepped between him and the snowman.

"Don't touch it." She warned. He looked put out.

"Why not?"

"Because you'll steal it and insist on wearing it. I know you. And I refuse to walk around with someone wearing a fez and a bowtie. _No one _will take you seriously." She felt like a mother scolding him, and his pouting was not helping the strange feeling.

"But-"

"And besides, I like it on the snowman. So don't touch."

The Doctor scowled like a child who had been told it wasn't allowed a cookie out of the cookie jar, and walked off to make more snowmen.

* * *

"Come on, Aliya. Time to go, places to be, things to see." The Doctor said to the blonde as he clapped his hands together with excitement.

She was gazing down the snow covered road at Kazran and Abigail, who were still standing together and trying to make the most of their last day. Finally she turned away from the direction of the pair, but the Doctor was surprised to see an utterly melancholy expression on her face.

She bit her lip and closed her eyes for a few moments as she tried to avoid tears again.

"This is their last day together." She said eventually. He studied her face as he moved closer.

"Yes." He said quietly. "But everything has got to end sometime, or nothing would ever get started."

"But we could help her. We have got every hospital in all of space and time at our fingertips! They could heal her, so that she and Kazran can actually have a proper time together." Aliya argued. "I know about the laws of time, but this is small, and they are our friends."

"Aliya…" He said exasperatedly. She stepped closer, her eyes meeting his, wide and pleading.

"Please." Her voice was a whisper. He stared at her for a long time, an internal battle raging between his brain and his hearts. After twenty six seconds, he sighed.

"Fine."

She smiled widely and attacked him with a hug full of gratitude. "Thank you." She said softly into his shoulder, and he could not help but smile against her hair.

"You're welcome. But you owe me!" He grumbled.

"Yes sir." She grinned with a hint of arrogance.

The Doctor left to explain to the couple about the choice they now had, and Aliya went inside to prepare the TARDIS, already with the ideal hospital in mind.

* * *

"So you could really do it?" Abigail asked. "Make me better?" The four of them stood in the TARDIS while the Doctor fiddled with the controls. Aliya was too busy brushing snow off her dress to bother helping, but she did reply to the other woman's question.

"We have all the medical knowledge of space and time at our disposal. Something will work." Aliya said confidently. "But you do need to keep in mind there is a chance they may not be able to do anything. The point is that we are going to try." Kazran and Abigail nodded. The former seemed so relieved at any chance to prolong Abigail's life he had not said much since the news, only held Abigail close to him.

When the TARDIS landed in the reception of the New Earth Hospital (two months after they had left the planet), the four stepped out to find some very confused receptionists and waiting patients.

After a small fuss they were directed to Matron Hame, who was delighted to see them and only too happy to try and treat Abigail.

* * *

"How much longer is this going to take?" Kazran asked irritably as he and the two Gallifreyans sat in the waiting area.

"We don't know, Kazran," Aliya said gently. She was worried herself but did not want to see.

"The friends of Abigail Pettigrew?" A voice called out, and all three heads snapped up to look at the cat Novice who was calling them. As she led them into the room where Abigail was sitting on the bed, the Doctor and Aliya recognised the Novice as the only Novice survivor when the androids had massacred all of the others.

Matron Hame smiled at them when they entered the room.

"Did you do it?" Kazran asked.

"They did!" Abigail said with a grin, jumping off the bed to give him a hug.

"Really?" Aliya felt it too good to be true.

Matron Hame looked down a little. "The treatment was not completely successful." The Doctor remained silent while Kazran began questioning Abigail and Aliya bit her lip.

"Kazran, don't be sad! They said I have three months!" Abigail said happily.

"But I thought you were going to have years." He said, touching her cheek. She placed her hand on his.

"Kazran, I have been used to the idea of only having a couple of days to live for a while now. And now I am being told I have months. I am completely and inexplicitly happy." She convinced him.

He smiled at her genuinely, causing Abigail to beam.

* * *

They dropped off the couple back on their own planet, and had the TARDIS to themselves again. Aliya sat down on the Captain's seat with a defeated sigh.

"What's wrong?" The Doctor asked. She looked up sadly.

"I thought they would be able to cure her properly. I got my hopes up too high." Aliya closed her eyes and did not see as he knelt in front of her and took her hands in his.

"Aliya, listen to me. You heard her; she was so excited to have three months! Don't be sad, because this is happy."

"She could have had so much more."

"No. Do you really think she would have wanted to outlive Kazran by that much anyway? We made a difference, and it was good. Aliya," He said, and she opened her eyes to look at him. "Do you understand?" She smiled at him.

"Yeah," She said genuinely. "Thanks."

"Anytime." He got up and left the console room, not stating his destination. Aliya wasn't bothered. She was about to lean back on the seat and relax when the phone rang. She jumped up and answered.

Two minutes later, from inside the wardrobe, the Doctor could hear his friend's voice calling out to him.

"Doctor? It's Marilyn…"

He groaned.


	25. The Ponds Return

Amy and Rory Pond reclined on the deck chairs of their hotel suite balcony and clinked their cocktail glasses together in satisfaction before taking a drink. Their balcony opened onto a view of the current sunset on the horizon of the sea that their hotel was situated alongside. The silver and gold streaked the clouds with their different shades and made it almost look as though heaven itself was opening right in front of them.

"Best. Honeymoon. Ever," Rory finally said as he looked out at the view. His wife just rolled her eyes.

"Yeah," She said sarcastically. "Because you have so many to compare it to."

"You know what I mean. Most people go off to really boring placing, maybe Fiji if they're lucky. And then there's us, in a luxurious paradise on an _alien planet._ Who else gets to do that?"

Amy laughed and gave him a grin which revealed her still prominent inner child. "Yeah, it's pretty cool. I guess we owe the Doctor one. Though if he is much later than the two weeks he's already been, I might just have to get annoyed at him anyway."

Rory chuckled. "Yeah, but you know the Doctor. For a supposedly brilliant alien genius, he's pretty rubbish."

Amy knew he had a point. "And we wouldn't want him any other way," She said. "Even if he did never manage to get us to Rio."

"Who needs Rio when you've got this place?" He said, gesturing at the beach of silvery white sand and completely clear water.

"Okay...good point."

They grinned at each other. Suddenly, a noise – the most familiar noise – filled the air, but it was faint, as if in the distance. Their expressions changed to one of surprise and excitement as they realised what it was. Dashing to the suitcases that were already mostly packed and shoving in whatever else needed to go in, the newlyweds exchanged eager smiles as they left the hotel promptly.

The tall blue police box stood proudly on the corner of the street, two people leaning against it and smiling at them across the distance.

"Ponds!" The Doctor called out fondly.

"Doctor!" Amy yelled back. The Doctor was looking as daft and dashing as ever in his bowtie, while Aliya was casual in her usual dark denim jeans and jacket combination. Amy and Rory both made a beeline for the Doctor, the former pushing her way in front to claim the first hug.

"Amelia Pond. Long time, no see!" The Time Lord said, "And Rory the Roman!" He was quick to hug Rory too, and as he did so, Amy nodded at Aliya in greeting and got a small wave in return.

"So..." Rory said after the Doctor released him, "What have you two been up to?"

"Oh, you know. The usual," The Doctor replied casually.

"In other words, running for your life, yeah?" Amy knew, as well as any other companion of the Doctor did, that his life consisted of little else, and she raised a red eyebrow in expectation.

"Well, yeah."

"Sontaran Battle Fleet, Vultures who faked his death to try and steal the TARDIS, an ex Time Agent and con-man turned defender of the Earth, Bronxites who tried to steal his life forces, our past selves, androids, cat nun from the future, and a grumpy old man who is now our friend," Aliya summarised, ticking them off on her fingers.

Amy just laughed, her eyes flicking to the Doctor. "Busy boy, then?"

The Time Lord straightened his bowtie the way he did when he was feeling defensive. "Maybe. Why, what have _you _been up to?"

"Other than honeymoon-ish things?" Amy said with a smirk, making the Doctor turn pink and Aliya and Rory both cough awkwardly. "I dunno. We relaxed and just enjoyed ourselves."

"We watched the sunsets," Rory said a little lamely. "But it was fun, and not life-threatening for once."

"Yeah, I can't believe I'm saying this, but it was kinda nice," Amy agreed. "But more importantly, we're back!" Her voice was confident. "Got my spaceship, got my boys, and finally got myself another woman. My work here is done." She sauntered into the TARDIS after dumping her bags on Rory. Aliya, after glancing after the red head, soon relieved some of the load off the human man and helped carry Amy's bags into the police box.

* * *

Five minutes later, all luggage was back in its rooms and all occupants of the TARDIS had decided to relax and simply enjoy each other's company in the library.

"So, Aliya..." Amy began from the comfy chair she was lounging on while reading a fashion magazine from the 24th century, "Meet any handsome blokes on your travels?"

Aliya momentarily frowned before her eyes lit up and she grinned. "Maybe one. That ex-Time Agent, he's an old friend of the Doctor's. Captain Jack Harkness."

"Ooh, even his name sounds hot."

"Amy!" Rory's indignant reprimand came from somewhere in the fiction section. She ignored him.

"So...?" Amy waggled her eyebrows at the blonde, who stared at her, utterly perplexed as she wandered over to the the nearest bookshelf to examine the books with evident interest.

"So...?" She repeated, somewhat helplessly, making the Scottish woman sigh.

"Come on, Aliya. We don't know each other that well, but chatting about guys is one great way to get started," Amy reasoned to the female Time Lord, who was trailing her fingers along the spine of a book called 'The Time Machine' some distance away. Aliya – after much inward conflict, after all, it was written by a human, it was going to be utterly ridiculous – finally pulled the book out of the shelf and come back to sit down on the longer couch next to the Doctor.

Amy leaned across the arm of her chair towards Aliya. "Please tell me he's hot." She dragged out the please sound as she begged.

The Doctor eyed his two female companions warily, particularly the blonde one sitting only inches away from him. It suddenly seemed very important to know what she thought about Captain Jack. After all, he was such a...personizer. He would flirt with anyone! And she was a Time Lady, she wouldn't have been taken in by his shameless flirting.

Aliya sighed before smiling almost reluctantly. "Yes, he is very handsome. And charming, he flirts the moment he lays eyes on you."

"Did you flirt back?"

"Yes, she did," The Doctor muttered, "After I very specifically told her not to."

Amy lifted an eyebrow. "And you have the right to dictate who she flirts with why?"

He frowned. "It was one instruction. Not difficult."

"Yeah, but why does it matter? What do you care who she flirts with?"

He sighed with evident frustration. "It's not that! Jack is attracted to anything with a pulse! I didn't want her getting the wrong idea from all the attention!" His eyes fell on Aliya, who was watching him with a frown of her own.

"I think I'm old enough to take care of myself, thanks," Aliya told him irritably.

"Old enough maybe, but not experienced enough! You're still naive about the universe-"

His argument was abruptly cut off by the woman he was insulting. "_Naive about the universe?_ I am a thousand years old and spent a century travelling the universe on my own, and centuries learning about various parts of it. I might not have your experience but call me naive again and I'll..." She stopped short from her fierce speech, suddenly put out.

The Doctor smirked at her. "You'll what?"

Abruptly, she switched to rapid Gallifreyan. _"Or I'll tell them about the coat and the cat pin and that prank Drax pulled on you at the Academy that ended up with you-"_

"That is not remotely fair," He said as he cut her off, scowling and crossing his arms like a child. Amy looked between them, noting the Doctor's glare and Aliya smugness.

"Neither was that comment," The latter retorted.

"What did you say? Was that your language?" Amy demanded.

Aliya shrugged. "Yes. And don't worry, it was just some innocent blackmail, but that's not important." Her gaze fell back on the Doctor. "What's important is that if I want to flirt with someone who is handsome and funny and smells really nice, then I will and you have no right to stop me."

It took a few seconds for him to pick out what apparently to him was the most important part of that sentence. "Sorry...'smells really nice'?!" The blonde went quiet and a bit pink as the Doctor stared and Amy started outright laughing.

"Anything else you want to add, Aliya?" The red head asked, smirking.

But it was the Doctor that Aliya was looking at and addressed her next lot of words to. "Please, like you never noticed his 51st century pheromones." She said it with a fair amount of confidence, and although he opened his mouth several times with clear intentions to contradict her, he eventually shut it again and pointedly looked away, which resulted in Amy's eyebrows rising even more.

"Doctor?" She asked with a grin.

In a very small voice, he mildly said, "Alright, he _does _smell nice but it is just pheromones, Aliya is hardly a slave to her senses and therefore it shouldn't matter, and frankly, you don't see _me _going on about it." He made a sour face that just made the two women laugh at him.

"I was hardly going on about it!" Aliya protested, unsure whether to be amused or indignant.

"Oh really?" The Doctor then even went to the trouble of standing up and moving away from the couch to give a proper demonstration. _"Oh Jack, the Doctor so very conveniently left out how devastatingly good looking you are!" _He mimicked, making Amy laugh yet again.

"I didn't say that! You're so full of shit!"

But the Doctor wasn't done. _"Oh Jack, I only regenerated two days, look how new and shiny I am, look at all my sparkly regeneration energy! Should I get even closer to you to make sure you can't miss how shiny I am?" _

That time, Aliya's face was so taken aback that it really was quite comical. "And I _really_ didn't say that, where the hell did that come from?" When he didn't answer, she just stared at him with the same incredulous look. "Seriously. I didn't say anything like that."

He rolled his eyes at her. "You didn't need to, it was obvious. You were new from regeneration and showing off!"

The outrage in her rose within a second. "Of all the-"

Amy quickly decided to play peacekeeper when she saw the potential for a proper argument brewing. "Alright you two, let's just not worry about it. Aliya apparently likes to flirt and the Doctor needs to learn to deal with it."

"You're taking her side?" The Doctor said indignantly, and Amy just gave him a look which made him gulp and go quiet very quickly. "I mean, yeah you stick with your opinion even if it is different to mine." She nodded.

Unfortunately, Aliya wasn't as easily scared into submission, and she was still glaring at the Doctor. "Since when did you have the right to dictate _anything _I do?"

"Since you turned up on my ship and regenerated into an idiot!"

"It's better than being a stuffy grandfather in a baby's body!"

"I look older than you!"

"And yet you lack the maturity of a human child."

"_And yet _I seem to be the one who has to look after you."

"For Rassilon's sake, you sound like my father."

"Nope, I met your father several times-"

"Yes, and you had an astounding ability to aggravate each other to no end-"

"Well maybe this time around you picked up that skill for yourself, because you are _really _aggravating _me_!"

"Good!"

"Fine!"

"...fine!"

With one final glare, Aliya stormed from the room, leaving a scowling Doctor and bewildered Amy in her wake. To top it all off, Rory chose that moment to dash back into that section of the library.

"I heard yelling," The nurse said uncertainly, taking in the scene as well as Aliya's absence. "What just happened?"

Amy shot a significant look at the Doctor. "It seems that Time Lords can bicker like children."

"Oi!"

"You weren't even arguing about anything in particular!"

"We were too!" The Doctor protested. "We were..." He stopped, thought, and frowned. "I could have sworn we...oh."

"I believe this is the part where you two say sorry and admit that you're both idiots." Amy gestured to the door, and the Doctor quickly nodded and headed out the room in pursuit of his friend.

When he found her on the jump seat in the console room, he decided to start off by stealing Amy's words because they were probably better than anything he could have come up with. "It may have been pointed out to me that we're both idiots and that we weren't even arguing about anything."

Aliya frowned, and then laughed a little. "Huh, that's a good point. Oops."

The Doctor shifted his feet awkwardly. "So...the arguing is new."

"Yes, it is."

"Should be alright though. You and me, little argument here and there won't be a problem."

"I dunno, are you going to keep being stupid and over protective?"

"Yes, are you going to keep being infuriating?"

"Yes."

"Good."

"Good."

* * *

"Finally, some girl time!" Amy exclaimed happily as she and Aliya explored the marketplace. "You have no idea how hard it is constantly travelling with men."

The planet they were on was quaint and peaceful, but well known for its impressive wares, sold by all different kind of species. The market was bustling with people who were too busy with their own lives to pay much consideration to those around them, making it a mission to get from one stall to another.

"Well…my two best friends in school were both male. One of them was the Doctor," Aliya shrugged.

"So you've known him for ages, then?"

"Yeah…" She chewed her nail absently. Amy noted this and frowned with distaste.

"Ew…don't do that!" The red head said.

Aliya frowned. "Sorry." She flicked the piece of nail she had pulled off onto the dirt ground. "I never used to do this, it's new."

"Well, it's a little bit disgusting. Come on, there must be something here that will fix it." Amy took the hand where Aliya had not been biting her nails and pulled her through the crowd to a stall a little way down the marketplace. Sure enough, there was a stall specifically for nail care and art. The alien behind it was a non binary gendered humanoid who vaguely resembled an elephant.

"Can I help the two of you?" It asked.

Amy nodded. "Yeah, what kind of products do you have?"

"Just the different colours of polish, but it will harden and strength your nails, making them almost impossible to chew off." Its dark eyes were already eyeing the fingernail Aliya had been biting seconds before. The two women looked and each other and nodded, quickly finding credits to pay for the polish and application of it.

Amy and Aliya grinned at each other, and quickly found credits to pay for the nail treatments they wanted. The vendor did custom designs, and when they pointed out the blue box at the end of the street, the elephant-person scanned it with a piece of tech that transferred the image to something that could be painted on. By the time they found the Doctor and Rory again, Amy was sporting bright red nails, while Aliya had opted for bright yellow.

"What have you two been up?" The Doctor asked them with amusement, but eyed their giggling with something close to wariness.

The two women exchanged looks and grinned as they showed him their hands. He was distinctly unimpressed.

"Oh good," He said wryly, "I take you to see the wonders of the universe and you two stop for a manicure. Good to know my time isn't being wasted."

Amy smirked. "You can try and sound disappointed but I know you love me really. Besides, I'm educating Aliya on simple human fashion."

"Of course," The Doctor said, eyes twinkling. It was very clear to Aliya how fond he was of Amy and Rory. She had never been that sure in the past of the relationship the Doctor had with his companions. Upon joining him in the TARDIS it had soon been evident that he was very close to them and had fallen in love with this mysterious Rose that she still knew very little about, and that he had a fate with River that would very likely go the same way and further. But seeing it first hand was much more informative, and Aliya began to see that perhaps the reason he travelled the universe was not just for the places and sights, but for the people who lived in it. She admired him for that.

"And we still have lots of girl stuff to do, so you boys run along." Amy shooed them away and Aliya laughed as the red head dragged her towards some exotic-looking clothing stalls.

"So…why is it that he's called the Doctor when you actually have a name?" The Scotswoman asked curiously as she examined the section where short skirts and dresses lay.

"Oh. Well, we all have titles, but some of us just chose to do by our birth names. Of course, Aliya isn't my full birth name."

"What's your full name, then?"

Aliya frowned. "Aliyanadevoralundar." Amy raised an eyebrow and the Time Lady could see her brain whirring as she tried to remember how to say it. In the end all she said was 'blimey'.

"Does the Doctor have a name like that?"

"He usually just went by Theta Sigma when we were in school," Aliya said, shrugging. "The Doctor suits him. It's his promise, to help people and make them better. He has no reason to call himself anything else." They then found a dress that Amy insisted would look wonderful on the Time Lady, and forced her into the tiny little changing booth to try it on.

"So...do you have a title as well?"

"Yes."

"And...?"

"I don't really like it that much, I only chose it because I had to choose _something_."

"And?"

"I chose the Angel."

"Angel? What, like with big white wings and a halo?"

"It translates slightly differently in Gallifreyan," Aliya said, a hint of annoyance in her voice that she tried to contain, "For you humans, an angel is a celestial guardian...for us, it simply means someone who watches over people, and helps them. In terms of translation, I could have picked Protector or Guardian and it would have meant exactly the same thing. But...that promise didn't work out so well, so I switched back to my birth name." She then hesitated, debating on whether she would let Amy see her in the dress before giving in and coming out of the changing booth. "Now, what do you think?"The dress was as short as any one of Amy's miniskirts, and a dark and regal blue. The sleeves were long and the neckline was neither scanty nor modest but the back had a slight dip to it.

"It looks amazing!" Amy said happily. "Short, sophisticated, sexy…"

"Short and sexy aren't exactly two things I like in my wardrobe." Aliya fiddled with the hem, trying to pull it down to past mid-thigh but failing.

"Why not? It's not like you haven't got legs. Even angels can wear short skirts sometimes."

Aliya looked uncomfortable. "It's just…the Doctor. I don't want him to think…"

"What, that you're sexy?"

"No! I mean…I don't want him to think that either, but-"

"Oh, you don't want him to think you're trying to be sexy."

"Well, I certainly don't want that, but I just don't see any time when I would wear this! It's too short!"

"It's not too short. Just wear a pair of fishnets and boots with it, and it will be perfect. It would be better without the fishnets though," Amy insisted.

"Fishnets?"

"You know, like the stockings?"

"Oh." Aliya quickly discarded any thoughts she had been having about actual fishnets to make way for the stockings Amy had meant. With great reluctance, and to Amy's joy, Aliya brought the dress.

"I'm only wearing it to something fancy," She told the red head firmly. "I'm not wearing this around the TARDIS in a thousand years."

"Whatever you say," Amy said vaguely, waggling her eyebrows once more. Aliya groaned at the mischievous look on the ginger's face.

"You, Amelia Pond, are a force to be reckoned with."

"Proudly."

They made their way back to the TARDIS.


	26. Cake and Mistakes

The sounds of crashing, screaming and running echoed through the corridor.

Lasers shot over their heads continually as the Doctor, Amy, Rory and Aliya rounded corners and dashed through the seemingly endless maze of corridors. Each corner bought only seconds of relief before their pursuers also rounded it, bringing the urgency of the situation crashing down on them harder each time. One word was repeated through their minds as it was uttered over and over again by the humanoid chasing them.

_Delete…delete…delete…delete…_

The one word repeated in a monotone was surprisingly terrifying.

"Remind me again why they're still chasing us?" Amy panted. "I thought we fixed the de-activator machine or something like that."

"We did. They should have been de-activated by now, but _somebody _accidentally put it on delay." The Doctor turned to glare at Aliya pointedly. She stared at him with utter disbelief as they slid around another corner.

"Now?" She demanded. "You want to do this _now_?"

"You're a temporal mechanic! How did you manage to muck up a simple reroute of the command signal from their main generator?"

"Well, excuse me for being very out of practice because someone put me in a void inside a giant mountain for three hundred years!" She snapped. "And because a certain bowtie wearing idiot won't let me touch his TARDIS and get back _into _practice!"

"Maybe you should have thought about that before you volunteered for the job!"

"Well, excuse me, _your lordship _for making a mistake!"

"Well, perhaps _her ladyship _should just admit that I'm still the cleverest, and that she should have just let me do it!"

"Maybe, _your lordship, _you should pull your arrogant and overgrown head out of your arse and stop needing to be the best at everything!"

"Guys!" Rory interrupted the bickering, and Aliya and the Doctor fell silent while still glaring at each other. "This isn't helping. We can argue when we're not running for our lives! How much time have we got? How long was the delay?"

"The TARDIS isn't very far away, but they're gaining, and they won't shut down for at least another five minutes," The Doctor said as he checked his sonic, back to business in an instant.

"In which case, let's concentrate more on running than talking, yeah?" They all knew the human man had a point, and shut their mouths and increased their speed. A Cyberman's blast came towards them, and hit Rory's arm. Amy began to yell but Rory – despite grimacing from the pain – told her to stop fussing. They were gaining a lead, and when the TARDIS was in sight the Doctor instructed Amy to take Rory to the infirmary. The two Time Lords attempted to close the hangar door on the Cybermen, who would undoubtedly shoot them before they got to the TARDIS otherwise.

The Doctor pointed the sonic at the door and it snapped shut. Unfortunately, not before a blast got through as the door went down.

The shot of energy hit Aliya directly in the stomach, and she cried out as she fell to the floor.

"No!" The Doctor yelled. He knelt by her and helped her up. She groaned and clutched her midriff.

"Cyberman blast. That's new," She managed to get out as they slowly walked with her arm around his shoulders. They made it halfway back to the TARDIS before she let out another groan and her legs almost gave out.

"You're not alright."

"I know that," Aliya said with gritted teeth, "I was hit by a Cyberman." She winced as another spot of pain hit her. When she looked down, her hand had begun to emit a faint golden glow. It didn't surprise her in the slightest. But the Doctor's eyes fell on it and then widened.

"No," He said, his voice low and forceful.

"It's okay."

"You're dying!"

"Not really."

"But-" The Doctor looked almost lost, his eyes rather frantic. "There hasn't been enough time, we've barely-" He swallowed a lump in his throat. "I'm still getting to know this you."

"I thought this me was annoying and made you aggravated." She smiled at him weakly. He almost smiled back but then instead shook his head.

"No, I-" He hesitated. "I liked this you."

"Heated arguments and all?"

"Heated arguments especially." His eyes wandered back down to where the regeneration energy was spreading from her hands up her mostly bare arms. She couldn't read him then, but realised that the regeneration energy was probably affecting him. She quickly went to step back from him, but his hand grabbed hers. He could barely reach and they stood with their arms outstretched between them, his larger hand holding her glowing one tightly.

Aliya eyed the one place where they were touching. "Let go. Don't be an idiot. I'm about to burst with_ regeneration energy._"

The smile he gave her then was very different from most of the others she had seen on this him. "One last hug, then?"

She had to laugh a little. "Alright, but you do actually realise that-"

There was no chance to finish her sentence because that was when he pulled her into a very warm, very tight hug. His arms wound around her, one curling to wrap around her shoulders while the other rested on her back. She let her arms just sit around his middle the way she tended to hug him in this body. Despite her protests before, she wasn't about to complain now. For someone who was such a huge part of her life, it had been far too long since he had hugged her like this.

She thought that his nose was in her hair, which she found slightly odd, but then again she may or may have been smelling his tweed jacket so perhaps they were both just mildly creepy in their own ways. But she could feel the regeneration almost coating the entirety of her skin, and so pulled away. He didn't however, quite let her go. So in an awkward halfway, with his hand still on her back and her arms still around his waist, they went still as their eyes meet.

That was when Aliya remembered what the regeneration energy would be doing to him with her so close. Sure enough, he looked like he was in the middle of a mental struggle, but when she tried to move away, he still didn't let her go.

"Let go," She whispered, making the mistake of looking up at him again, and becoming aware of the number of inches between their faces.

"Do you really mean that?" He asked in a low voice. His eyes bore into her and anxiety hit her. She inhaled sharply but couldn't find the inner strength of will to move away. But she didn't give him an answer. All she could think about the numerous possibilities of what could happen in the next couple of moments and how he really needed to let go or else -

Before Aliya could even finish that thought, the Doctor had dipped his head and kissed her. It was melancholy and desperate and she couldn't _quite _bring herself to remember that it was wrong because the only thing she could think about was his lips on hers and before she knew it she was kissing him back. Once she reciprocated, he moved his hands to hold her face so that he could kiss her more deeply and with even more urgency. Meanwhile, her hands clutched the tweed of the back of his jacket.

And it wasn't just the kiss, they had barely moved from when they had been hugging, and therefore their bodies were aligned and had no space worth mentioning between them. She could feel the warmth of him - though less than she would have with a human - through their clothing and it was all she could do to not forget where she was entirely and just let the bliss of being so close to him continue for as long as it could.

Luckily, that was when he let her go, and she just stepped away and stared back at him in shock over what had just occured. Without taking her eyes off him, she reached into her jacket and pulled something out of it before dropping it onto the floor. His gaze was so fixated on her that he didn't bother to see what it was for a second.

That was when the golden glow exploded from her skin and she was consumed by regeneration energy. After a few seconds, she shifted her body and the energy shot down, towards the thing she had dropped on the floor earlier. Eventually the energy faded completely and revealed Aliya looking exactly the same as before. The Doctor's eyes dropped to the jar containing her hand on the floor, and understanding flashed through his eyes.

Though really, why else did he think she had the hand and had bothered to detach it in the first place? She had seen his memories and realised just how helpful it was to have a source of one's biological code at hand. And though she didn't know much about it, he had vaguely referenced once how he had postponed a regeneration by diverting the energy into his spare hand. So, she had realised that she could play copycat and buy herself extra time.

The Doctor just stared, his eyes full of conflicting thoughts, and she wasn't surprised, she imagined his head was full of different voices trying to make sense of the last couple of minutes. She, however, had a slightly simpler resolution for him.

Without two second's hesitation, she slapped him. That certainly snapped him out of it.

"Ow!" He yelped.

"Do that again," Aliya warned fiercely, "And I will hit you much harder in a much more sensitive place. And then I'll tell your archeologist girlfriend. Got it?" He frowned and nodded as his hand cradled his cheek.

She scowled before bending down to retrieve her hand – being very careful to only touch the container, because Rassilon knows what would happen if she touched the actual hand – and walking into the TARDIS, leaving him to his own conflicted, jumbled thoughts.

Once inside she hurried up the stairs and to the infirmary to check on Rory. Blowing the excess regeneration energy off her hand, she put it back in her pocket before entering the room. Rory was sitting on the bed inside while Amy stood over him with sophisticated medical equipment from the future - which required no outside knowledge to use - and fussed despite his insisting that he was fine.

"Amy, I don't think he's going to die," Aliya laughed.

The red head spun around and smiled. "You two got in okay then?" Aliya's smile faded a little.

"Yeah, pretty much," She said vaguely.

Amy studied the blonde, who shifted awkwardly under her scrutiny. "No way…" Amy murmured, and Aliya shot her a confused and wary look. Just then, in the distance they heard the Doctor entering the TARDIS and calling out Aliya's name. The woman in question felt her heartbeats increase and tried not to panic. "Sorry, um, got to go."

"What was that all about?" Rory's voice asked.

"I'll be right back." Amy's replied.

Hoping that meant she was going to the console room, Aliya rushed through the corridors. She did not want someone else's room, a bedroom of a past companion where she felt like she was invading, she needed one of her own where she could be left to her thoughts in peace. Suddenly a voice came from nearby and she nearly jumped out of her skin.

"What the hell happened out there?" Amy demanded from behind her. Aliya spun around and didn't reply, instead choosing to back to her search for her own bedroom. After all this time, there should be at least an empty one that hadn't been used before! "Well?

"I don't know what you're talking about," Aliya muttered.

"Did you kiss him?" Amy asked with something close to disbelief. Aliya's eyes widened in surprise, and she believed it gave her away. Based on Amy's shocked expression, it had.

"Oh my god, you did," She said in shock. Aliya turned away and walked down another corridor. Amy continued to follow.

"I did nothing of the sort!" The blonde snapped harshly. "_He _kissed _me_." If she thought Amy had been shocked before, it was nothing compared to how she looked after she learned that bit of information.

"The Doctor doesn't just go around go around kissing people! Not even River, and she's his future wife or something."

"Well, he did." Aliya rattled the handle of a door with no name on it, but it wouldn't open. She glared at Amy. "And I'm not people."

Amy stared at her with an expression that made her uncomfortable. "Oh?" The Scottish woman asked expectantly.

"He and I, we used to - but that was a long time. And he didn't-" Aliya paused, struggling to form sentences that would explain the situation. She continued to try every door she could. "He didn't - we're not - it wasn't -" Amy followed, and raised an eyebrow when Aliya came across a door that had a label that said 'Romana'. The blonde jumped back from the door like it was a hot iron, and threw it a despaired look before continuing. "How did you even know?"

"I was a kissogram, I know the signs. Your hair's kinda ruffled and your lips practically scream 'I just got snogged'. And the Doctor doesn't normally go for that. Why did he kiss you?

"Because he's an idiot!" Aliya retorted irritably. "A cyberman shot me and I started to regenerate again. Regeneration energy is an aphrodisiac to us and he was an idiot and got too close. It was a natural biological reaction! He wasn't thinking straight, he was just being stupid, but now it's awkward so I'm just going to find somewhere to hide for a while and then we'll go on like nothing happened. But if I see him right now then it might get...weird."

Amy stared for a few moments, clearly trying to take in what she had just been told. "Um...okay." She crossed over to a door near her that Aliya had not checked. It was wooden, with a name carved into it in calligraphy. It read 'Aliya', and had a swirl of symbols underneath it.

"What about this one?" She suggested. "It has your name on it." Aliya did not hide her surprise. It was exactly what she had been hoping for, but had worried it would be too vain to ask. "What are these symbols?" Amy traced the pattern of symbols underneath the name. Aliya now stood next to her, and was staring at the door with a sad expression.

"That's my name, but in Gallifreyan," Aliya said slowly. She ran her fingers over the symbols carved into the door.

"That's your language? That's words?" Amy asked in disbelief.

"One word. But yes," Aliya said. She put her hand on the handle and opened the door.

The room inside was very much in the Gallifreyan style of furnishing, being a perfectly circular room. There was a large bookcase waiting to be filled with books, a desk filled with stationery, and best of all, a large circular bed like the ones she had once had back home. The walls were green with darker green patterns that resembled Gallifreyan calligraphy, and the bed's duvet was a dark navy blue with a pale blue pillow.

The thing that caught her attention was the one bit of wall without any patterns, and she approached it.

"Why did you leave this bit blank?" She asked the ship quietly as she put her hand on it gently. A nudging feeling in the back of her mind led her to a small wooden box sitting on top of the room's desk. She pulled up the lid slowly, to find reasonable sized photographs inside.

"Oh," Aliya said softly as she looked at a few.

Amy edged closer curiously. "What? What is it?"

There were many photographs, full of people who would seem to be all different to a human eye, but in fact had only held nine different people despite there being sixteen faces. Her, Theta and Koschei. The Doctor and Susan wearing Earth clothing, so presumably after they left Gallifrey. Herself and Heta. Herself and Romana when the latter had still been at the Academy. The Doctor and Romana. Aliya's fourth incarnation with his fifth, alongside Tegan and Turlough, somewhere in France. Her fourth again, this time with the Doctor's seventh incarnation and his friend Ace who had liked carrying around explosives.

It was so strange to see such vivid images from her past in such a simple way, and she didn't know whether to cry or laugh. Her thoughts and reminiscing were interrupted by Amy, who she had forgotten was there.

"Who are all these people?" Amy asked.

"They're me. Me and the Doctor, and some of his older companions, plus a few others. "

"You and the Doctor?" She said in confusion. "But you…oh. Do you mean, when you had different faces."

"Yes."

"Can you tell me about them?"

Aliya hesitated, biting her lip before shaking her head slowly. "I'm still coming to grips with everything that's happened...I'm not really ready to talk about what was, not when so much of it is long gone."

"Oh...okay, sure. But are you going to put them up on that wall? That must be why they're there," Amy asked. Aliya looked between the wall and the photos. Finally, she shook her head again. "Why not?"

"I…just don't think I'm ready to face these memories yet. I can't just walk past them every day," Aliya said quietly as she placed the photos back in the drawer. "I just…cant."

Amy kept quiet.

Aliya turned to the other woman. "I'm sorry, but could I just have some time to myself?" She asked apologetically. "I need to think."

"Oh, sure. Sorry." Amy said quickly. "Bye." She left the room.

The moment the door shut Aliya's hands flew into her hair and she began to overthink the events of the previous ten minutes.

_Why did he have to do that? He's moved on, he loved that Rose girl, and it's obvious that he's falling for River..._

_It was just the regeneration energy. _

A part of her knew that it wasn't strictly true. With a past like theirs, it would never be 'just the regeneration energy'. But without it, he would never have done it, so the statement was accurate enough.

_I don't love him anymore. We had our time. _

After all, while there was still a connection there - and after centuries of friendship and occasional far from platonic moments, she would be concerned if their weren't - but half of it was just the fact that they were the same, that they could sense each other and only each other. It _was _intimate in its own way, and unavoidably so.

The conclusion made her sigh with relief. Regardless of it, she still planned to avoid him for a while, just to make it easier on the both of them. So instead, she looked around for something to occupy herself with.

She crossed over to her desk and found a journal in one of the drawers. It was beautiful in its simplicity, with a plain leather cover and unlined pages. With a small shrug to herself, she picked up the quill that sat amongst the ballpoint and biro pens and dipped it in the ink pot built into the desk. Then she began to write.

_My name is Aliyanadevoralundar. But I tend to go by Aliya, or sometimes on occasion, Ali. _

_I am a Time Lady of Gallifrey. My people and planet were destroyed during the Last Great Time War, a war between the Time Lords and Daleks._

_I travel with the Doctor, the only other Time Lord alive. He fought in the war, and was the one to end it. I was merely hidden outside it, though I do not know by who, and therefore do not know if it was an attempt on my life or a successful attempt to save it. _

_At the moment we are also travelling with Amy and Rory Pond. They are human, from Earth (the Doctor's favourite planet), and married. __Occasionally we have run into a woman called River Song. She is also a time traveller, one whose timeline is out of sync with the Doctor's. She is utterly brilliant - a real match for him. _

_The Doctor has been travelling almost all his life, even before the war. While I was alone on Gallifrey, surrounded by people who I didn't really care, he was travelling the universe in his rickety old TARDIS. I feel a lot of resentment toward him for leaving me on Gallifrey with all those people I couldn't stand, even now. But I understand his reasons. Besides, quite a while later I did end up letting him whisk me away from Gallifrey, and while it was incredible at first, in the end I didn't have the strength for the dangerous and sometimes difficult life he leaves. And in an odd reverse, I know that he still somewhat resents me for that decision. I suppose we both have trouble letting go of the past when it comes to old conflicts with each other. _

_When we were much younger, we used to be...well, I loved him, and I think he loved me too. But those days are gone, it's been obvious ever since I came back that the Doctor has lived a long time since I last saw him, and he seems to be falling in love with River. (Also, there was a human girl called Rose who apparently stole his hearts, though I am still quite uninformed on her, despite my intense curiosity.) _

_As it is, I am just grateful to be alive, and travelling the universe with the person I consider to be my best friend. _

_Aliya_

Aliya signed off. Her handwriting was pretty and loopy calligraphy, which was only natural as her first written language had been made of circles.

She put the pen down, and decided to see if she could get to the library without running into the Doctor.

* * *

Several days later, the Doctor and Aliya had not seen each other since they had escaped from the Cybermen. One thing was for sure…if there was a place you could avoid someone, it was the TARDIS. Amy felt concern as she met with the two individuals at different times across those days. Neither said anything about the other, merely made polite conversation. But they both seemed so on edge that the tension could almost be cut with a knife.

She had explained what had happened between the two Time Lords to Rory.

"But I don't get it. Why are they avoiding each other?" He asked Amy after one almost painfully awkward conversation with the Doctor.

"I don't know!" Amy sighed and shifted her position on one of the library sofas. "Aliya said it was just a biological reaction. Just an accident."

"But that doesn't explain the avoiding part."

Amy frowned as she pondered it. "Yeah, but think about it. If they really did kiss, and it wasn't anything, just something brought on by panic and a weird biological reaction, and the Doctor knows he is probably going to end up with River anyway, and Aliya knows that…it has got to be _pretty _awkward. Especially considering how prudish they both are."

"Still. I wish they would find some way to get past it," Rory said. "This is getting ridiculous."

* * *

Aliya was in the TARDIS kitchen.

Welding a wooden spoon with a firm grasp and sheer determination, she stacked the boxes and jars and containers of ingredients in a large pile next to the mixing bowl that had a diameter of about a foot and a half. She eyed the pile of ingredient filled containers warily. It looked as though it would topple any minute and land on her in a jumbled heap of pointy box corners. She abruptly set them all on the next side by side on the glass counter instead, deciding it to be much safer.

The blonde woman was clad in a bright yellow top which had a large picture of a cartoon sunflower printed onto it. That and a flouncy white skirt. Her feet were bare as she danced around the kitchen contently, hiding all traces of any worries she might have.

She took another look at the cookbook which as was following. She had found it lying open on the bench when she had entered the room, displaying a large and pretty picture of a cake covered in impressive decorations on one page and instructions on the other. With nothing better to do and her interest captured – she'd never eaten this 'cake' thing before, or cooked anything at all – she set to work following the instructions down to the very last detail.

She had only added the butter and sugar so far, but it already looked pale yellow and somewhat inviting. She dipped her finger in, and raised the blob of buttery sugary goodness to her lips before licking it hesitantly. A smile broke out on her face, and she ate the rest of the blob in one go.

Needless to say, a little more of the mix ended up in her mouth instead of in the bowl where it belonged. However, the next step said to add eggs. She had already found the cartons which had read eggs. Eggs, it would seem, were strange pale brown, round oval things that cracked into a sticky mess if you did not handle them delicately.

She had found out this the hard way, of course, though she had been entranced by the strange orange ball that floated in the sticky clear part.

But the instructions said: _Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition._

It seemed a strange thing to do, but who was she to argue with an official cookbook? Aliya knew many things, but methods in human cooking were not among she put the first of three eggs into the bowl where it sat atop the mix, looking very out of place. It said 'beat', so she hit it with the wooden spoon forcefully, causing the shell and sticky insides to disperse itself around the top of the mixture, floating along in the sloppy goo. She did the same for the next two eggs.

Eyeing the contents of the bowl, she mixed in the parts of the egg until she was satisfied. The mixture was now quite liquefied. It was also yellow with floating chunks of egg shell.

Gradually, Aliya became aware of a presence in the doorway, someone watching her. She continued to stir the mixture, keeping her breathing even.

"Hello." The person finally said. The voice was unmistakable, and Aliya felt that she had known all along whom it was.

She let herself glance back. The Doctor was leaning against the doorframe at the back right of the room, looking as daft and dashing and ever. She immediately turned her gaze back to the bowl.

"Hi." She said eventually. There were a few moments of silence.

"How have you been?" There was a slight hint of awkwardness in the Doctor's voice, but he did a good job of hiding it.

"Good." Her voice was vague. She could feel his eyes on her and it did little for her nerves, and so instead she tried to bring more to the conversation. "What about you?"

"Yes, um, fine," The Doctor said quickly. He held out his hands in a shrug. She now had her eyes fixed on him instead of the bowl, and her hands had paused in her work. "To be honest, I've been better, but we all have our ups and downs, I'm sure it'll pass."

She smiled softly, her lips twitching involuntarily. "Maybe. But I'm the same. I've also...had better weeks."

"Yes," The Doctor said with a nod. "And I think that these…recent developments are probably my fault."

Aliya abruptly turned back to her bowl and she went on with the mixing. "Probably," She finally said. Her voice was neutral and gave away nothing. His footsteps came closer, approaching her and stopping on her right side.

"So…" He started, and dragged it out without finishing the sentence. He was unsure of what to say.

Aliya forced her eyes to stay on the gloopy and somewhat crunchy concoction in her bowl, determinedly looking anywhere but him. "So…" She repeated slowly. The question in her voice was obvious. The Doctor paused. Then he slowly placed his hands onto spoon, stilling the movement as his hand covered hers easily. Her eyes fixed on their touching hands as her whole body froze.

"Ali." She said nothing, and didn't move an inch. "Aliya, look at me." He grabbed her chin with the hand that was not touching hers and forced her to look at him. Their eyes met, and Aliya stared into the green eyes that captivated her so even though she knew they shouldn't. It was just his entire essence, his intensity, his passion for life, his compassion...all of it was in his eyes, and when they held that much, it was impossible to look away.

Why did he have to make everything so difficult?

"Aliya, I'm sorry," The Doctor said simply, "I'm sorry for what I did. I was stupid, and didn't think. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it."

Aliya did her best to smile. "It's fine. Really, don't worry about it. I hate dwelling on things, especially when it between me and you. You are an idiot though."

He grinned. There was a moment of slightly tense silence. And then he got distracted when he looked into her bowl and saw the chunks of egg shell poking through the surface.

* * *

With all of the messy stuff out of the way, suddenly her cake mix was the most important thing in the room.

"Aliya…?" He asked in confusion, "What are you doing?"

"I'm making cake, I think," She replied with genuine innocence. She gave him a confused look.

"Um…yes, but why are there egg shells in it?" The Doctor asked with a frown and raised eyebrow.

"What, aren't you supposed to put the shells in?" Aliya asked, a frown appearing on her face. The Doctor chuckled at the her expression and leaned his elbows on the counter.

"No, not exactly." He replied, still chuckling. She glared before eventually letting her face convey how lost she was.

"Now what do I do, then?" She asked, looking almost upset.

He laughed at her childlike puzzlement before moving to stand next to her.

"Look, don't worry. We can fix it. All we need to do is pull the eggshell out." He told her, and threw his jacket onto a different counter before rolling up his sleeves. He then proceeded to pull out each piece of eggshell individually until no more could be seen.

"The instructions aren't very specific, are they?" Aliya said desperately, clinging for anything that would downplay her mistake a little. "It never said anything about not putting the shells in!"

The Doctor smiled fondly. "No, but every human is taught from a very young age to crack the egg open and only let the white and the yolk fall out." He began to add in the remaining ingredients.

"Oh." Aliya looked disappointed, which only made the Doctor smile more. "The white and the yolk?"

"The white is the translucent sticky stuff, and the yolk is that round orange part."

"But why is it called the white if it's not white?"

"Well, when it's cooked, it is white. You know, I had forgotten how little we knew about this sort of thing on Gallifrey. I suppose that's what you get when a race eats only vegetables."

"You wash it, you cook it, you eat it. Food was so much simpler back then."

"Ah, but this way, there is a method, a proper process, techniques!" The Doctor exclaimed happily. "Cooking is an art."

"If you say so…" Aliya said blandly, and rolled her eyes.

"It is! Now cheer up, this cake it going to be brilliant." The Doctor said. She said nothing and leaned against the counter. "Oh, lighten up!" He grabbed a tiny bit of flour and blew it in her face. It promptly landed on her nose, and in her hair. The Doctor was struck by the strongest urge to laugh. It was not the tiny amount of flour on her, but the completely surprised expression on her face.

Quickly, a grin formed there instead as she saw the playfulness in his eyes, and it immediately filled her own. She grabbed a handful of flour from the container, and threw it at him.

The game began.

* * *

Everything in that kitchen had been thrown, lobbed, dumped on, or squashed in some way. Even a little of the cake mix had gotten onto them before they had put it in the oven. Both Time Lords were a rather white and speckled sight, covered in flour and sugar. There were small spots of the brown cocoa that had at some point made its way out of the cupboard too.

Syrup had been a good one. Maple, golden, chocolate, caramel.

You name it, they were drenched in it.

At some point some alcohol had been found, and although they did not have much it was enough to pump up their already hyperactive game into a jumble of ridiculous nonsense. The sprinkles had been an exciting discovery. With plenty to stick to thanks to the syrup, The Doctor and Aliya were now covered in every type of intergalactic sprinkle that existed. The eggs had been a particularly messy matter. Yolks lay all over the floor with a tiny bit of surround white, though most of the egg white was on the humanoids, and not the floor.

The Doctor's bowtie was streaked with jalapeno sauce and coconut sprinkles. He straightened it anyway, and narrowed his eyes at the woman across the counter from him.

In her hands, Aliyanadevoralundar had a tin of canned fruit salad. She licked her maple syrup and dinosaur sprinkle covered lips and yanked the can open, shoving the contents towards the bowtie wearing man.

This was not play. This was war.

* * *

Amy and Rory found them about half an hour later.

They had heard noises coming from the kitchen, and eventually came to investigate. They pushed open the door, noting the mess of cream pie at their feet. The two humans tread carefully, not sure of what they would find. The entire floor was covered in a blurry haze of egg, syrup, power, food, solid, liquid…. And the same went for the surfaces of the counters. Rounding a corner, they found the two Time Lords sitting next to each other, leaning against a counter with their legs outstretched.

They were both completely covered in almost every home baking product that could be thought of, and more than a few extras. There was a blueberry pie sitting upside down on the Doctor's head, the filling slowly oozing into his hair. His cheek was streaked with cocoa and sugar, and sprinkles to boot.

"It's the Ponds!" He yelled happily, grinning drunkenly all the while.

Amy and Rory noticed that the Doctor and Aliya seemed to be taking turns having sips from a rather large bottle of Vanilla Essence.

"Doctor?" Amy asked, crossing her arms and raising her eyebrow. She could not help the disbelieving smile starting to spread across her face.

"What?" The man in question asked indignantly with an unnecessary amount of volume. "I haven't done anything!" He announced firmly. He then turned to his blonde companion next to him, who wore a party hat on her head. The sunflower on her shirt had been completely covered up with whipped cream. "I haven't done anything, have I?" He stage whispered.

She lowered the Vanilla essence from her lips. "No…I don't think so…" She whispered back.

"What have you two been doing?" Amy demanded, looking them over with disgust.

The Doctor and Aliya exchanged a look of complete innocence.

"We made cake." They said in unison, grinning like children.

* * *

Some hours later, when the cake was baked and the Time Lords were 'sober', the four of them gathered at the dining table and cut up the cake.

While most of the food had been easily removed, there were some flour still in hair, and on skin. With luck a shower would take care of that.

Rory cut the cake, handing out slices. The cake was still warm, and had bright pink icing, a smudge of which was still on Aliya's cheek, and the Doctor's nose. The four of them quickly began to eat.

"You know…" Amy said thoughtfully as she swallowed her first bite, "This is actually not half bad."

The others sounded their agreement.

The peacefulness did not last long, however.

"Um," Rory asked, "Why is there a huge piece of eggshell in my cake?"

Aliya's expression turned to one of mortified embarrassment, her cheeks flushing scarlet. However, the moment she met the Doctor's eyes, something snapped between them.

Within seconds the two Time Lords had erupted into hysterical laughter, and within minutes, were on the floor.

All was well in the TARDIS.


	27. Unexpected

**Thanks to all who reviewed: Romana-II, SuperFunkyGirl1, Mrs 11th, goblindreamer, Spirit-of-the-Rain, Doctor-River, toavoidconversation, lightwolfheart(great to hear from you again), SkellySaurus, charliethecat, Caligo Origuu, ZackAttack96, jock wizard, Allebasii, and last but not least...MainPeet.**

**All your reviews mean so much! :'D**

**Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

The Doctor, Amy, Rory and Aliya reclined on the beach.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again: I love automatic sand!" Amy said with a grin as she and Aliya reclined under the two suns.

When the Doctor had announced they were going back to Space Florida, Amy had of course opted for a dark purple bikini immediately, while Aliya had insisted on a green one piece, having no interest in showing her body to the world.

"Why didn't we have beaches on Gallifrey?" Aliya murmured as she closed her eyes under the relaxing sun. "They would have been amazing."

"Because we were 'almighty Lords of time', we didn't spend time mucking around on beaches." The Doctor replied. He and Rory were both in swimming shorts, but the Doctor wore a Hawaiian shirt which had given Amy and Aliya great material to tease him with no mercy.

"Pompous gits." Aliya said.

"Precisely."

Amy rose from her towel into a relaxed sitting position. "Can we go for a swim now?" She asked, stretching.

The two men's eyes lit up at the idea while the other female didn't look so keen. Aliya lay back down on her towel and made shooing motions with her hands.

"You all go ahead, I'd rather sunbathe," She said, and the Doctor frowned at her.

"But...it's water! Water you can swim and have water fights in! It doesn't get any cooler than that!" He implored, and he saw something flash through her eyes that made him suspicious. "Aliya...why don't you like swimming?"

"Because I don't know how," Aliya said irritably, crossing her arms while glaring at him. "So how could I enjoy it?"

Rory eyed her with obvious confusion. "Why don't you know how to swim?"

"Time Lords never went outside," The blonde sighed.

"We did," The Doctor attempted to interject, only to be interrupted by his fellow Gallifreyan once more.

"Yes, but not anywhere near any bodies of water!" She pointed out knowingly, rolling her eyes. "Gallifrey didn't have lakes or oceans or swimming pools, where in Rassilon's name would I have learnt to swim? More importantly, why would I in the first place?"

"But the Doctor knows how to swim," Amy put in.

Aliya nodded before shrugging passively. "Yes, he does, but you must realise that the Doctor isn't your conventional Time Lord. He's spent 900 years travelling the universe, which is plenty of time to learn to swim somewhere off world."

"I learnt on Florana," The Doctor added, and in doing so, was agreeing with everything his friend had said, "Best place for it, really." The comment earned him an envious look from Aliya, and he just smiled pleasantly in an purposefully infuriating way. "But...Space Florida would be the runner up, no sweat, so come on, you're learning how to swim, now!"

The moment the Doctor reached for her, Aliya flinched backwards and looked at him hardly, shaking her head as if there were no tomorrow, her eyes nervously darting to the water a couple of times.

"No!" She almost shouted, and immediately hugged her middle. "I don't want to. Just go and swim, I'm fine up here."

Seeing the irrational fear in her eyes that obviously was not going to be going away any time soon, the Doctor nodded slowly and patted her shoulder awkwardly. "Okay," He said quietly before getting to his feet and taking his Hawaiian shirt off. "Come along then, Ponds, I'll race you," and with that, began sprinting towards the water only to be pursued by the two joyful humans.

After a few minutes, the Time Lord looked back to the shore and waved at the Time Lady watching him with fondness and amusement, and she waved back with a large grin, apparently unfazed by her exclusion in the activity.

There would be many other days in which she could learn to swim, after all.

* * *

Another run-in with River Song and a bunch of alien elephants had led to a rather long conversation about her in the TARDIS console room after she had left.

"She is _so _your wife," Amy teased the Doctor. Rory had disappeared somewhere.

"I completely agree!" Aliya said with a grin. Amy looked pleased.

"I know, it's the way she talks to him, isn't it?" The ginger continued in her gossipy manner.

Aliya smirked. "Exactly. The only other person who talks to him like that would be me, and that doesn't count, because I'm…well…me."

The Doctor had been silent up to this point, but had a rapidly growing frown dragging his mouth down. Finally, he cracked.

"Look, you two!" He said irritably. "You two are worse than old women in hair salons getting their hair curled! Perhaps you should consider simply leaving River and her spoilers alone. I'm sure you'll find out soon enough."

Amy and Aliya exchanged a look. "Nah." They both smirked at him. He simply got angrier at this.

"You two assume to know everything! It's not a funny matter, something you are completely aware of, Aliya." His words made Aliya's smile drop off her face completely.

"Yeah," Aliya murmured softly. Amy frowned in confusion while looking between the other two for an explanation which they did not give.

"Thank you, so I would appreciate it, Aliya, if you didn't go on about things like that." The Doctor said seriously. She nodded.

Amy continued to frown. "What? What do you guys know that I don't?" She crossed her arms.

"Look, Amy, I don't really want to talk about it-"

"Then just tell me quickly and then we can talk about something else-"

"Maybe I don't want to tell you!"

"Guys!" Aliya's lame attempt at piece making resulted in both of the hot-headed people shushing her.

"Why don't you want to tell me? What could be so bad that you can't tell me?" Amy's voice was annoyed and slightly sarcastic.

The Doctor snapped.

"She died!" He shouted angrily, and the ginger took a reflexive step back, her face pale.

"What?" The Scottish accented voice was blank and disbelieving.

"We're on twisted timelines. The first time I met River, she died, while I was forced to watch!" The Doctor said, now determined to make Amy sorry for being so persistent.

Why could his companions never just leave well enough alone?

"You've already watched her die." Amy said in the same monotone as before.

"Yes, and I have to meet her every time and pretend everything is mysterious and wonderful, and the whole time I know how it will end." The Doctor fumed. "Do you see now, Pond? That's me. That's my life, and it's always been my life. I've had companions and people I love die, or leave me for someone else, or be forced to forget everything they did with me, sometimes the fact that they even met me, and now I have to live through this relationship knowing that one day she is going to die, and that I've already seen it happen."

Amy said nothing. She had no words for the huge rush of information she had been given. Aliya placed her hand on the Doctor's shoulder. He was leaning against the console, staring at the panel in front of him.

"But you don't know for sure what kind of relationship it is!" Aliya said, aiming for reassurance. "We always joke about marriage, but really, she could just be a good friend. She might not even be that close to you!"

"Yeah, you shouldn't listen to us. We're stupid." Amy added.

Aliya eyed the Time Lord worriedly as he turned to face them with a terrified emotion in his eyes.

"You don't understand. There isn't any kind of hope like that," He told them.

"Why not? What else do you know?" Aliya breathed.

The Doctor swallowed thickly. "She knows my _name_." His eyes drifted to Aliya as he said the words.

A miniscule gasp escaped Aliya's lips before she lapsed into complete silence. The unparalleled shock was as obvious as though someone had written it across her forehead with permanent marker. She sat on the bottom step of the stairs that led to the corridor and brought her eyes up to stare at the Doctor in a new light.

Amy watched the Time Lady's reaction with complete bewilderment and suspicion before turning her gaze back to the Doctor. "She knows your name?" She asked the bowtie wearing man. "I get that it's a big deal, but what does it mean, exactly?"

"It means that she will be more to me than anyone else ever has been." He finally answered slowly, and the Scotswoman did not miss how his green eyes briefly flicked towards Aliya. She was staring at him with an unfathomable expression, but for less than a second he believed he saw hurt swimming through them. He knew of no way he could get rid of it, knowing nothing he could say would help. It would bring to the surface the potential awkwardness that they managed to mostly avoid, and Amy would ask questions they didn't want to answer.

He said nothing, and eventually Amy broke the silence.

"Okay…but if you have a name, why don't you use it all the time without bringing 'The Doctor' into it?" She asked.

Aliya spoke for the first time since the Doctor's revealing of the depth of River's importance.

"Our names are different." She said slowly, still staring at the glass floor. "You humans, you have a first name, a last name and normally a middle name. And these are all quite public. Anyone can know them and it means nothing. Your first name is often for those more friendly with you, and the last name is for further identification, and for those who do not know you personally or very well."

"Yeah. So?" Amy raised an eyebrow.

Aliya flicked her eyes to the Doctor briefly before looking at the married woman. "For us it is different. Time Lords have three names. All very different. The first is our birth name. It's chosen by our parents. This name is the only one we have from the very beginning of our lives. Aliyanadevoralundar is mine. I am one of those who has a title while preferring to be called by my birth name. My cousin was the same."

"Why would someone call a baby Aliyanadevoralundar?"

"Amy, I think you're missing the point." The Doctor closed his eyes tiredly.

"Sorry."

Aliya frowned. "After that there is our official title. We chose it ourselves and use it like you would as your name in full. Mine is the Angel, his is the Doctor."

"So what's the third name? Is that the one River knows?" Amy's statement got a nod from the Doctor.

"The third name is something humans can barely comprehend, Amy." He replied. "We aren't even given it by our parents, because even then it wouldn't be close enough to our true nature. When we look into the Untempered Schism, our true name – which is already written into Time itself – enters our subconscious, and as we grow older it becomes more prominent until we are aware of it. It is a name, a word made specifically for us and no one else. That's how important it is."

Amy had had the Untempered Schism explained to her before this point, and thankfully understood everything he said.

"Wow. That's pretty intense." She said. "But why is it so important that River knows it?"

Aliya resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Because there is only one time we can ever tell someone our name." She said and attempted not to sound patronising.

"Why not?"

"Our true name is so personal and so powerful, that we can only tell it to someone we fully commit and join ourselves to. Firstly with the mental joining, which usually occurs in the marriage ceremony." The Doctor explained.

"And that's not your sort of marriage, but ours. And Gallifreyan Marriages are very different." Aliya added.

The Doctor nodded and continued while Amy listened intently, genuinely interested in anything that may help unravel the mystery of Time Lords, and of Doctor Song.

"And then of course, there is the physical joining, which is…well." The Doctor looked uncomfortable.

"But it's not just every marriage," Aliya said quickly, "Arranged marriages were different, they didn't have the crucial element that bound the mental joining. You need ridiculously strong emotions for that sort of bond to form."

"Exactly. You and I were married," The Doctor agreed, and at Amy's questioning glance, hastily added, "To different people. But I've never told anyone my name before."

"Neither have I." Aliya said. "But it looks like you're going to!"

"Yes…apparently." He sounded unsure. "Anyway, why don't you two find Rory? I have another planet in mind, and they have every ice cream flavour you can think of, mainly because the people there are pretty much highly evolved cows…" His enthusiasm was back and he began operating the TARDIS with his usual vigour.

Amy and Aliya both knew that the conversation was now over, and went off to find the former's husband.

* * *

"Right! Where to next?" The Doctor asked as he danced around the console. Amy watched him with fond amusement in her eyes while Rory had his arm around her waist. "Because I know of a constellation three galaxies away which is apparently the shape of a love heart."

"A love heart, made of stars?" Amy repeated, grinning. She exchanged a look with Rory. "That's a bit cheesy."

"I thought you humans were supposed to like that sort of thing!" The Doctor exclaimed. "Especially you women."

"Us women?" Amy asked with an affronted tone. Aliya frowned.

"Amy, I think he's trying to be thoughtful." Rory said gently. "Maybe just go with it."

The Doctor nodded, still excited from his idea to even be bothered by the arguments. "Yes, but you're missing the point. According to legend, if you are able to get close enough without getting pulled in by the gravity, the stars that make up the constellation produce solar flares between the 380 and 450 nanometre range!"

Aliya perked up considerably while two humans were blatantly confused.

"Purple solar flares." She explained. Amy and Rory nodded, now back to understanding. "And mixed with the red/orange colour of the sun, that will almost make the flares pink! Sounds fascinating." The blonde said with a smile, and the Doctor looked pleased.

"Great, nice to see someone's excited about it. I thought, stars in a love heart shape that are pink, perfect. Though if you ask me, I think the love heart looks more like an oval with a dip in the middle, but what can I say, primitive cultures are always seeing patterns in things that aren't there." The Doctor smiled before Aliya began to help him fly the TARDIS towards their destination. They took off violently, and Amy's face paled and her hand flew to her mouth.

"Oh god," She said, and she began to run up the stairs, clutching the handrail to keep her balance. Unfortunately, the flight pattern was too rough, and the ginger emptied the contents of her stomach over the railing. Seeing it, the Doctor reluctantly hit the blue stabilisers.

"Amy, are you okay?" He asked worriedly, watching Rory rush to her side.

"Fine," His companion weakly replied, "Urgh."

"It's never made you sick before."

"It was a little different before," Rory said, somewhat cryptically, and the two Time Lords shared a puzzled look.

"I don't understand," The older of the two said.

"Doctor," Amy approached her best friend, with an oddly serious expression on her face. "I've been putting off telling you this. But I need to, because it's important. Doctor…I'm pregnant."

The Doctor looked like he had just collided with a brick wall, he was so stunned. His mouth opened and shut several times, and then his eyes darted down to Amy's stomach.

"Pregnant?" He finally echoed. "How did that happen?" Aliya laughed but quickly sobered when Amy and Rory just looked at each other incredulously. Clearly, this wasn't the best time for such things and the situation wasn't funny. "How long?" His second question was easier to answer.

"We're not sure, it's tricky with the time machine," Rory said.

"We wanted to tell you earlier, but we just didn't know how," Amy admitted. "But we were wondering…travelling in here with you…will it do something to the baby? Because what if it has three heads, or a Timehead, or-"

"What's a Timehead?" The Doctor chuckled slightly, for the first time not looking concerned, and Aliya had to smile a bit at that too, but she stepped back so that she was half behind the Time Rotor. She didn't know the Ponds well enough yet, she didn't have much part in the conversation.

"I don't know, but what if it has one?" Amy retorted in a very Amy-ish way.

"It won't…I mean, it shouldn't," The Doctor said, frowning, "But…the TARDIS, the time vortex, there's extra artron energy that seeps out. For humans especially, it changes your molecular structure."

"What?" Rory asked, almost sharply.

"But it's harmless, you're all fully grown or grown enough so it can't influence you. But a baby…well, I can't claim to know. I've never had a pregnant person on my ship before, at least not for very long."

"Okay," Amy said quietly, "So, if we stay, it might affect the baby."

"Shouldn't have done much yet, but in the next few months, yes, it might," The Doctor admitted with an obvious amount of reluctance. "Though in what way…I couldn't say."

"Rory and I have been talking since we found out, about whether we should stay. We honestly weren't too sure, even Rory didn't completely want to leave…" Amy took a deep breath. "But, Doctor, this is our baby. And if something might happen, then what kind of parents would we be if we didn't put it first?"

"You're leaving," The Time Lord said slowly, suddenly much sadder, but understanding.

"We wish we could stay," Rory said, "But this baby is our future."

"Besides, I need this little push, or else you'd probably get stuck with me until I was too old to walk. And that would just be embarrassing, so…" Amy laughed, lightening the situation somewhat. "But you can come visit us, yeah?"

"Yeah, definitely," The Doctor nodded quickly, a little too quickly. Visiting companions wasn't necessarily something he did, but this was the Ponds, so who knew what could happen?

"Okay…then I guess we should go…pack up our stuff, then."

"Yes, good idea. I'll just be…here."

The Ponds nodded, and went up the stairs together, and out of the console room. The Doctor merely stared after them, unmoving.

"Doctor, are you okay?" Aliya asked.

"This is what always happens. They all leave me in the end. Always." His eyes were faraway. She slipped her hand into his, causing him to look at her.

"I'll never leave." She said softly. "I'll stay with you for as long as you want me to, and unlike all the others, I can actually live up to that."

"Romana could have, and she still left."

"Romana didn't need you anymore. She was young, and you gave her the spark of life, and the push to go out and find herself. I'm not young. I need you, because you're my best friend." Aliya said as she gave his hand a comforting squeeze.

The Doctor gave a weak smile. "Us Time Lords got to stick together, eh?" She nodded and he hugged her to him with one arm, glad of the comfort. "At least this time, when they leave I'll still have you."

"You'll never be able to get rid of me," She joked.

After that, the Doctor got into a flurry, going on about having to give the Ponds a goodbye present of sorts, and Aliya didn't pretend to understand, she just let him fly the TARDIS and dart in and out as he needed. He had just finished whatever he had been doing when the Ponds came back down with their luggage.

"What's that look for?" Amy immediately picked up on the Doctor's expression of satisfaction.

"Take a look outside."

The four of them all filed out of the police box, finding themselves in a street lined with houses, the one they were in front of blue with a bright red sports car outside of it.

"No, don't tell me, this isn't Earth, this isn't a real house, and inside is a goblin who can change minds," Amy breathed.

"No, real Earth, real house, real door keys," He said as tossed her said keys.

"You're not serious?"

"The car too?" Rory cut in, staring at the magnificent vehicle. "But that's my favourite car. How did you know that was my favourite car?"

"You showed me a picture of it once, and said _that's my favourite car_," He mimicked, grinning proudly. He threw Rory the car keys.

"She'll say we can't accept it because it's too extravagant and we'll always feel a crippling sense of obligation," Rory said, clapping the Doctor on the back and looking over his shoulder at his wife. "It's a risk I'm willing to take."

He headed towards the front door. Aliya took one look at the Doctor and Amy and decided to follow. The Doctor and Amy were best friends in a different but equally powerful way to her and the Doctor – or how they had been in the past, at least – and deserved privacy for their goodbye.

"So…I'm really leaving," Amy said, as she and the Doctor leant against the car.

"It's probably good timing, actually."

"In what way?"

He stared at her for a moment. "Because you're still…breathing. There might be a lot still left to see out there…but perhaps there's a bigger, scarier adventure waiting for you in there."

"We want you to be godfather," The ginger said suddenly, and he was visibly surprised, "I mean who else comes even close?"

"Godfather…thank you, Pond," He said softly, smiling.

"Means you have to come back and visit sometimes," Amy bumped his shoulder.

"Visits aren't my specialty, but I might be able to make an exception or two," He said.

"You'd better." She hugged him tightly, doing her best not to cry. When they pulled apart, he eyed her stomach, and tentatively put his hand on it.

"There's a baby Pond in there."

"Yep," She smiled, rather terrified at the notion. But a good kind of terrified.

"Great, er, good job, Pond."

That made her laugh. "Thanks."

Rory and Aliya came back out then, with wine glasses and champagne.

"Actually, Rory, I think that it's best if Aliya and I just head off. I'm sure you two have plenty to get on with," The Doctor said quickly, a sad yet also awkward look in his eyes. Goodbyes weren't a strong point of his.

Aliya then turned to Rory. "Goodbye, Rory."

Rory seemed taken aback by the abrupt goodbye. "Oh. Goodbye, Aliya." He then added, "I wish I could have known you better."

"Same here," She said, "Good luck with the baby."

"Thanks."

The Doctor sidled up to say goodbye to Rory while Amy grabbed Aliya by the arm and pulled her aside.

"Aliya…look after him, okay?" Amy looked genuinely concerned.

Aliya nodded. "Of course."

"You made this easier, you know. Leaving, it's not fun, but at least we know he's not going to be alone. He's going to have you," Amy's eyes rested on her best friend.

"Glad to know I could help," Aliya replied sincerely. "And it was really good to meet you. He chooses his friends so well."

"Thanks, I think," Amy grinned. "It was kind of fun having another girl around."

The blonde nodded. They both turned to the men, just in time to see the Doctor kissing Rory on the cheek, much to the other man's surprise but the women's amusement.

The Doctor then turned around. "Come on then, Aliya, time we were off, I think." She nodded and went into the TARDIS with small waves to Amy and Rory. But he paused, and smiled at them. "The girl and boy who waited," He said softly, "Go get'em."

"Don't forget to invite us to any weddings that might come up," Amy said, winking, and he just chuckled, and shook his head as he went into the TARDIS.

* * *

An envelope was thrown onto the bed in River Song's cell in Stormcage Containment Facility. She picked it up, and upon opening and reading the letter inside, she smiled. It was an invitation, with coordinates and a time to be there. It wasn't hard to guess who had sent it, especially with the colour of the invitation.

Meanwhile, alarms sounded as a guard warned a superior of his that Doctor Song was packing again, with plans to go somewhere called America.

* * *

The first thing Aliya noted was that it was hot. And she was on the ground. She sat up and groaned, clutching her head. What the hell had happened and where was she?

A look around revealed a desert road, and she saw a car parked alongside it.

"Aliya!" The Doctor appeared in her vision and grinned at her.

"I don't understand…what happened? Where are we? I don't remember coming here…" She asked as he helped her off the ground.

"Don't worry, I'll explain later, promise," He said, unfazed, "What's important is that you are here." He kissed her on the forehead and gave her a tight hug, which while confusing, was rather nice.

"Um…okay." For the first time, she noticed what was on his head. "What with the hat?"

"It's a Stetson, I wear a Stetson now, Stetson's are cool," He adjusted it as he said it, looking rather proud.

A bang rang through the air. The Stetson flew off his head, and both of them turned around to see River Song standing some way away, blowing the smoke off of her revolver.

"Hello Sweetie."

* * *

**I'm sorry for taking Amy and Rory away so early! :( But this had to happen for the great scheme of the story to work out. Hope you like the intro of the Impossible Astronaut. And don't worry, this story will not turn into an AU fest. In fact, the opening two parter is all you getting of Series 6 in this whole story, the rest won't happen til the sequel. :P **

**Please review, I really love to get feedback from you guys.**

**MayFairy :)**


	28. The Impossible Astronaut: Death

**Thank you to all who reviewed: jock wizard, SkellySaurus, dontstopbelieving (and thanks also for your one on the previous chapter), Caligo Origuu, charliethecat, MainPeet, lightwolfheart, goblindreamer, Mrs 11th, Spirit-of-the-Rain, toavoidconversation (x2), SuperFunkyGirl1, Vilentiel, Doctor-River, ZackAttack96, and Romana-II.**

**You guys all rock!**

**Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

"Right then, where are we?" River asked, flicking through her diary while the Doctor sat opposite and did the same with his own. "Have we done Easter Island yet?"

"Yes! I've got Easter Island!" He said excitedly as he found it in his diary.

"They worshipped you there." River reminded him. "Have you seen the statues?"

"Jim the Fish!" The Doctor exclaimed.

"Oh, Jim the Fish! How is he?" River asked with an endearing tone.

"Still building his dam." They laughed as Aliya joined them at the table, still completely confused as to how she had gotten to what was apparently Utah, America. The Doctor was acting so flippant about it, but not remembering was very disconcerting.

"So…what's going on, then?" Aliya asked the Doctor, nudging him.

The Doctor smiled slightly, but it soon disappeared. "I've been running, faster than I've ever run. And I've been running my whole life, now it's time for me to stop." He looked at River, quite sadly, eyeing her as if she were some favourite toy he had just found after it being lost. Then his gaze moved to Aliya, and it was so intense that it made her shift awkwardly under it. "Tonight, I'm going to need you two with me."

"Well we're here." River said, not having quite picked up on the strange behaviour, but very supportive of his odd words all the same. "So what are we doing?"

"A picnic. A trip. Somewhere different, somewhere brand new. Space, 1969."

* * *

The trio lay out by the water on the blanket, clinking glasses together under the sun.

"I thought you said we were going to 1969." Aliya said as she sipped the wine, lounging on the blanket. "And I've never seen you drink wine before."

"I'm 1103, I must have drunk it sometime." The Doctor took a swig before spitting it out. "Ew, wine's horrid! I thought it would taste more like the gums." He looked as though he just had been quite cheated.

"1103? Finally admitting your real age then? Or closer to it, anyway." Aliya observed. "You were claiming 908 the last time I saw you."

"So what?" He retorted. She rolled her eyes, and when she turned them away caught sight of something on the hill, and it didn't look human.

"What is that?" She flicked her eyes down to look at the Doctor.

"What's what?" He asked, and she frowned.

"What do you mean?" She didn't know what he was responding to. After all, _she _hadn't said anything.

"You said you saw something."

"You really are getting old, Theta. Now you're hearing things." She joked.

"Look at it." The Doctor said, pointing to the moon that was already visible despite it being daylight. "Of course, the humans did a lot more than look, big silvery thing in the sky and they couldn't resist it. Quite right."

"The moon landing was in 1969." River pointed out. "Is that where we're going? To see history in the making again?"

"No… way more happens in 1969 that anyone remembers. Human beings…thought I would never get done saving them." The Doctor said in an almost solemn tone. It worried Aliya for some reason she couldn't put her finger on. He had said in it past tense…

A car pulled up some distance away, and when Aliya looked at it curiously the others did too. River clearly also had no idea what it was doing there, while the Doctor did not look surprised. He stood and raised a hand in greeting to the person who had stepped out, who returned the favour.

"Who is he?" Aliya asked as she stood.

"Oh my god…" River said in surprise as she gazed into the opposite direction. The other two turned around to look.

A figure in an Apollo spacesuit stood in the water, facing them.

"You both need to stay back," The Doctor commanded as he looked upon the person in the water, "Whatever happens now, you must not interfere. Is that clear?"

Aliya and River studied him. The former spoke up. "Why would we want to interfere?" Her question went unanswered as the Doctor merely walked toward the shore.

"The only reason we would want to interfere would be if something terrible happens." River said quietly, sounding as anxious as the other woman felt.

"I know," Aliya replied, "That's why I'm worried."

The Doctor and the astronaut now stood facing each other, but River and Aliya couldn't see the astronaut's face, not even when it raised its helmet. Whoever was inside the suit, he wasn't surprised to see them. River and Aliya watched as the two appeared to be talking. The Doctor even seemed to be gentle, assuring the astronaut of something. The moments seemed to last hours and neither could ignore the terrible feeling of foreboding washing over both of them.

The astronaut lifted its arm, and a shot of energy came out and hit the Doctor full on.

"Doctor!" Aliya screamed in shock, and she ran towards her best friend, desperate to help him. Another shot hit the Doctor just as River grabbed the other blonde woman and stopped her going any further.

"Aliya, stop!" She yelled. "We have to stay back!" The Doctor was shot for a third time, and this one sent him to the ground.

"No!" Aliya fought against River's grasp. She was a Time Lady, and stronger than a human, even if it wasn't by much. Any other human would not have been able to hold her, but River Song stood her ground and kept Aliya back, despite the look of shock and loss on her own face.

The Doctor looked at his hands which had begun to glow, and the golden light was soon visible was a distance.

Aliya saw it and stopped struggling. "It's okay, he's regenerating. That's not so bad…" She whispered, her voice shaking with relief while River remained grim.

The Doctor turned to the two of them with tears in his eyes. Aliya had never seen him cry before. They both stared back, pain reflected on their faces. He said something they couldn't hear, but Aliya knew it was an apology. The light engulfed his face and he stretched his arms out in preparation, closing his eyes in an effort to be mentally ready for the change about to happen.

Another shot hit him, and the golden energy vanished as he fell to the ground. River's eyes widened and she did not stop Aliya when the other woman began running towards him again, and joined her.

"No, Doctor!" The archaeologist called.

"_Theta!_" Aliya screamed again, running at full sprint.

They both crouched beside the body of the Time Lord, Aliya sitting by his head. She waited impatiently as River scanned him, and when the machine made the noise that told them the horrible truth, pressed her ear to the man's chest. Neither heart was beating.

Tears began to fall heavily from the Time Lady's face while River's expression turned hard. She stood up and pulled out her gun, firing shot after shot as the astronaut retreated into the water. None of them hit home.

"Of course not," She said, her own eyes threatening to spill out tears too.

Aliya wept, and felt as though both of her hearts had stopped beating as well, for all she could feel was hollowness in her chest. She pulled the Doctor's head onto her lap and rested her head on his. River had turned to look at something behind both of them. While the archaeologist was not looking, Aliya pressed a kiss to the Doctor's forehead before stroking his hair, her tears now silent but still consistent.

Memories flashed through her mind, memories of the ridiculous impossible man who had seemed like he could never die, like he could never be stopped.

_The young man who was so innocent and untainted by darkness, endlessly cheeky and rebellious. She had been so drawn to his positive aura, and their friendship had been almost instant. Years later, after heartbreak of many kinds, they both admitted the obvious feelings and became the happiest couple one could ever imagine or hope for. He had been so perfect, so wonderful...so hard to leave when the time came. And then he got old, he grew up and tried to be grumpy and important, and ran off to see other worlds. Twice she refused his offer to go with him, and she always regretted it. He had always been her Theta, long after he had begun going by the name of 'Doctor'._

_An infuriating bohemian man who was simply too tall than logical. In all of their encounters except the first, she had become someone so cynical and cold that his charming smile and eccentric ways no longer held any appeal, and only made him all the more irritating. But somehow, despite being repelled by his personality, a physical attraction had sparked that was so strong it had nearly overwhelmed her, and they had been incredibly close to making a very big mistake...if one could call such a thing a mistake. _

_Fifth and youngest, yet easily the one she loved the most after the original. After regenerating, her love for him had bloomed within her and she had run with him, leaving behind Gallifrey to travel with him as she had been too afraid to so many years before. They had opened up their hearts to each other once again and for the first time in a long time, she had been truly content, something she had given up on after the death of her son. But it had not been enough, because you could not have the Doctor without the monsters, and the monsters and death were too much in the end. Like Tegan, she simply couldn't go on. Telling him that she wanted to return to Gallifrey was one of the hardest things she had ever done, and she knew that this Doctor would always have her love, and that she would never stop, no matter how far apart they were. But she wasn't strong enough for his way of life. Not yet._

_One night. For the first time since the young cricketer, the Doctor was cheerful and kind again, with the warmth that he had been lacking a little. Again she was drawn to him, with his bright eyes and long auburn hair. And for one night they could pretend that war wasn't upon their doorstep and that this wouldn't come to nothing. But his instinct to run was still there, because when she woke, he was gone._

_A madman with a box. That was how he described himself these days. He was incredibly young again, full of smiles and laughter as he dashed around in that stupid bowtie and tweed jacket. He'd been through so much in her absence, he had gotten on with his life despite being the only Time Lord left, fallen in love with a human, and begun to fall in love with another. Despite everything she had ever felt, she had to accept that their time had passed. Suddenly he was just a friend again, and she was going to have to come to terms with that. But even though he was so gleeful, so happy...there was a darkness inside of him that she couldn't place, the same one that she had seen back in his seventh body, only amplified. But he was trying to hide it. And now she would never know his regeneration as much as she could have wished._

She put her hand against his face only to find that it was the temperature of an ice cube.

"You can't be dead, you just can't! You can't leave me, Doctor. Not after all this time," She said uselessly. River knelt beside her.

"Aliya, whatever it was, it killed him in the middle of his regeneration cycle-"

"I know that! Do I look stupid?" Aliya growled angrily, her grief partly turning into anger towards the woman who probably thought she was just another stupid ape who knew nothing of the Doctor. River eyed her with an unfathomable expression before continuing.

"-so his body was already dead." She finished.

"Dead and regenerated are _not _the same thing!" Aliya argued, looking up at River. Crying did not become the younger looking blonde, her eyes red and glassy from all of the tears.

"He is most certainly dead." An old man's voice said from behind them. Aliya slowly turned to see the driver of the truck placing a canister of gasoline at the Doctor's feet. "He said you would need this."

The Time Lady eyed it with malice. "Gasoline," She said, "We won't be needing that, thanks." She had figured out the reason behind it and disagreed double-heartedly.

"Of course." River breathed. "A Time Lord's body is a miracle. Even a dead one."

"Maybe to you," Aliya muttered under her breath as River sat beside the Doctor.

"There are whole empires out there who would rip this world apart for just one cell." She sniffed and stood. "We can't leave him here."

"Do you think I don't know that?" Aliya asked, looking up with irritation in her eyes. "Stop acting like you are the only one who knows anything about him, because I know so much more than you will ever know!" River flinched at the harsh words, and Aliya winced the moment they flew out of her mouth, and clapped her hands in front of it. "I'm sorry, I just-" She said quickly, her eyes looking distraught before River interrupted her.

"You don't have to explain yourself to me," She replied with an edge in her tone, "But we can't leave him anywhere."

"We can take him back to the TARDIS," Aliya said, her voice daring the human woman to object.

"We're his friends. We do what the Doctor's friends always do. As we're told," River said with determination as she picked up the gasoline.

"Maybe I don't want to do as I am told!" Aliya snapped.

River raised an eyebrow, clearly becoming more than just annoyed. "Look, I don't know what your problem is." Aliya's mouth hardened. "But you need to realise you aren't the only one who is mourning here."

"You don't understand! You never will. You have a life, a home, a prison cell, somewhere that you belong, and you have probably have friends and family."

"So what? I'm not allowed to be independent?"

"I don't have any of that!" Aliya interrupted before the other woman could say anything more, looking up with her face contorted with pain and loss. "I am _nothing _without him. He is the only thing I have left at all, the only one I can turn to throughout time and space. And now you want to burn him."

"I want to do as the Doctor has instructed, because I know that it will be the right thing. So stop being childish and get out of the way." River glared daggers.

_Childish? _Aliya bristled internally. _The nerve of some people! At least twenty times older, and she is accusing me of being childish…. _She had not decided how to react until River tried to pick up the Doctor's body. All thoughts on the age jab were forgotten.

"Don't you touch him!" Aliya said fiercely, wrapping her around the body tighter, cradling him. She whispered in his ear in Gallifreyan, struggling to get the complicated words out while her voice was choked by tears.

She told him of everything they had been through together, and all the feelings she had ever had for him, how he had been the one to make her life come alive, to bring colour and beauty to it.

She told him what he meant to everyone, the world, the universe. He deserved to know and only wished someone could have told him sooner.

"We have to do as he says. No one can be allowed to get his body," River insisted.

"I won't let them, I'll guard it with my life," Aliya argued. River knelt beside her once more.

"And that's exactly what he wouldn't want." Her eyes bored into the red stained different coloured ones that were still flowing tears. With a jolt, Aliya realised she was right. She looked across the lake and saw the boat parked on the shore nearby.

"We can use that," she whispered, "It's the least he deserves."

* * *

The two woman held hands as they lowered the match to the Doctor's body. The flames covered him in seconds and they pushed the boat out into the water.

From the shore they watched, leaning on each other for comfort, River's arm around Aliya's shoulders. Both loved him in different ways, and saying goodbye was the one thing they were not prepared to do.

"Who are you? Why did you come?" River asked suddenly, breaking the silence. Aliya was confused for a second before she realised the questions were addressed to the old man who stood some way behind them.

"Same reason as you." He replied. The two women turned and approached him. He was holding out a blue letter identical to their own letters. River took out hers, and the silver three on the back matched the four on his. Aliya pulled hers from the bosom of her gown and showed them the two. "Doctor Song, Aliya." He said, nodding to both of them. "I'm Canton Everett Delaware the Third. I won't be seeing you again, but you'll be seeing me." He nodded with a small smile and put on his hat before picking up the gasoline and walking away back to his car. The two women watched him go.

"Four." River said.

"I know. You're three, I'm two, so who's number one?" Aliya was following the exact same trail of thought.

"I don't know, but I intend to find out. Can we go back to the diner? I don't think I can bear staying here." River said. She took another look at the burning boat, and after following her gaze, Aliya snaked her hand through River's. The woman said nothing as they walked back to the car, but Aliya felt a squeeze on her hand that told her the other woman wasn't as resilient as she looked sometimes.

* * *

"Do you think he could have invited anyone else?" Aliya asked as they entered the diner.

"It's hard to say, but he must have. He planned this, all the way down to the last detail." River shrugged.

"And I hate him for it," Aliya whispered. She had finally managed to stop crying. Her eyes were not as red now, but still noticeable if one looked closely.

"You and I both," River said gravely.

"This isn't going to change anything; he's still dead."

"Yes, but he said something about 1969 and space, what did he mean?"

"He's dead, it might not mean anything!" Aliya protested, before taking a deep breath. River gave her a look complete with a raised eyebrow. "But it mattered to him." She said slowly, and River nodded.

"So it matters to us."

Aliya swallowed and nodded. "He still needs us."

"Yes. And we have to focus." River pulled the other woman in for a hug – which was welcome but unusual, as Aliya had never considered River to be a hugging person. But Aliya's body tensed when she saw the blue envelope on the diner table. "What is it?" River quickly let go and turned around to follow the other woman's frozen gaze.

Aliya rushed to the counter as River approached the envelope. "Who was sitting there?" She asked the man there desperately.

"Just some guy," He said, shrugging. Aliya nearly let out a scream of frustration but used some of her self-control and stood next to River instead.

"The Doctor knew he was going to his death so he sent out messages," River said after scanning the envelope, "He sent them to people he could trust, his friends."

"Us," Aliya confirmed.

"Who was number one?"

Aliya took the envelope and held it to her nose. It smelt like him, tweed and that other smell she could never identify, but was so very _Doctor. _She forced herself to stop the tears returning. Aliya couldn't help but find it fascinating that she was number two, and not River. River knew his _name_, yet she had come second to herself and one other person...still, it was somewhat comforting to know that the Doctor trusted her so much.

"Who did the Doctor trust the most?" River asked, taking the letter back. Just then, the door in front of them opened, and both of them gasped. There stood the Doctor, very much alive.

River and Aliya stared at him, completely frozen in shock before the former finally spoke.

"This is cold," She said slightly shakily. "This is cold, even for you."

Aliya continued to stare at the Doctor as though she had never seen the sun before, and now that she could see it, it was burning her eyes.

"Or hello, as people used to say," The Doctor said with confusion as he took in their faces.

"Theta?" Aliya whispered, not taking her eyes off him.

He looked at her with concern. "Just popped out to get my special straw. Adds more fizz."

Aliya threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck as hard as she could. He made an 'ofth' noise on impact, and placed his arms around her gingerly while throwing a very confused look at River that begged for information. When he got nothing, he looked down at the blonde woman still hugging him so much it was starting to get painful.

"Um…Aliya?" He got no response. "Great, my own personal limpet."

"If you value your nose the way it is, you'll take that back," The Time Lady mumbled into his shoulder. She finally backed away from him, but he was surprised to see her looking upset. "How can you be okay? You shouldn't be okay, you weren't. How are you okay?" She demanded as her voice broke.

The Doctor's expression became tender as he saw the worry and fear in her face. "Of course I'm okay, I'm always okay, I'm the king of okay." He said reassuringly as he pulled her into another hug, now at least partially understanding her actions. She had been worried about him, clearly. "Oh, that's a rubbish title, forget that title."

"But anyway, Dr River Song," He said as he let go of Aliya and turned to River, "You bad, bad girl. What have you got for me this time?"

There was a sound crack as River slapped him across the face. Aliya resisted the urge to do the same, because despite how much she wanted to, she was too relieved to see him alive.

"Okay," He said after letting out an exclamation of pain and turning to face her again. "I'm assuming that's for something I haven't done yet."

"Yes it is," River confirmed.

"Good, looking forward to it." He said vaguely.

Aliya made a small noise of grief as she realised the truth of the situation, and when the Doctor turned to look at her briefly she put on a brave face.

It hadn't happened to him yet, and so therefore he was still going to die.

"What are you doing here?" She asked him.

"I was invited. Date, map reference, same as you two, or otherwise it's a hell of a coincidence," He said, grabbing the letter. "Also, Aliya, I'd still like to know how you managed to get here before. Seriously, you just disappeared, next thing I know, I get this invitation and here you are. Care to explain that?"

"How old are you?" Aliya asked suddenly. The fact that he was just as clueless as to how she had gotten there was not in any way helpful, and she didn't want to have think about it at that moment.

"I think you know perfectly well how old I am-" He began to reply.

Aliya glared. "Just answer the question, Theta! Because you are about _this _close to another slap." She had managed to stop her voice from shaking.

"909." He finally said. Aliya closed her eyes in defeat for a moment.

"So where does that leave us? Jim the Fish?" River asked desperately.

"Who's Jim the Fish?" He smiled, finding it funny.

"Do you understand?" Aliya asked River while ignoring the Doctor completely.

"Yes. Do you?" River said carefully.

"Of course."

The Doctor frowned at them. "Well I don't!" He said indignantly. "What are we all doing here?"

"We've been recruited," River said, and Aliya breathed a sigh of relief at the other woman's quick thinking, "Something to do with Space and 1969, and a man called Canton Everett Delaware the Third."

The Doctor was chewing on the straw as he was walking down the diner floor. "Recruited by who?"

"Someone who trusts you more than anyone else in the Universe," River replied.

"Aliya?" His eyes flicked to the blonde who was glaring at him.

"Don't flatter yourself, Theta," She said coldly.

"Then who?" The Doctor asked.

River and Aliya looked at each other.

"Spoilers."

* * *

"1969, it's an easy one, funny how sometimes some years are easy, 1480, full of glitches. Now then, Canton Everett Delaware the Third. That was his name, yeah? How many of those can there be. Well, three, I suppose." The Doctor rambled as he danced around the TARDIS console like a maniac. Aliya took one look at him before descending the stairs that led to the space below the console platform. River wordlessly followed her.

"Is everybody cross with me for some reason?" The Doctor asked himself quietly.

Aliya buried her face in her hands, feeling only a horrid sense of helplessness. That was how River found her.

"How can I keep it from him?" Aliya whispered as River came up to her. "I've never been able to lie to him, not about something like this."

"You will because you have to," River reassured her and put her hand on her shoulder. Aliya nodded.

"So the Doctor knows he is going to die, so he recruits his younger self, and us. But to do what? Not avenge him…save him, perhaps? I don't really think that is the kind of thing he would do." Aliya speculated.

"We can't tell him anything, we can't even tell him we've seen his future self." River said.

"I _know, _River. Please remember you're not dealing with an amateur here." Aliya tried to not sound exasperated. "He's interacted with his own past, and that's so dangerous, though it never seemed to stop him."

"I'm being extremely clever up here, and there is no one standing around looking impressed! What is the point of having you all?" The Doctor's voice called out, and they began to go back up the stairs.

"Don't you just want to slap him sometimes?" River muttered as they went. Aliya smiled despite everything.

"Every single day," She replied, and then became grave once more. "How can we just let him die?"

"His death doesn't frighten me, nor does my own. There is a far worse day coming for me." River said. Aliya took one look at the other woman's face and said nothing as they got to the last step.

"Time isn't a straight line, it's all bumpy wumpy, there's loads of boring stuff, like Sundays and Tuesdays and Thursday afternoons, but now and then there are Saturdays, big temporal tipping points where anything is possible. The TARDIS can't resist them, like a moth to a flame, she loves a party, so I give her 1969 and NASA, because that's space in the 60's, and Canton Everett Delaware the Third, and this is where she is pointing." The Doctor said, and turned on the scanner.

"Washington D.C. April the 8th, 1969. Why haven't we landed?" Aliya asked. She was so very sorely tempted to ask where Washington D.C. was, but knew it would give her away as non-human, something River probably didn't know, and at the very least make her look stupid, and knew it was safer to keep her mouth shut.

"Because of where we are going." The Doctor said.

"Where are we going?"

"Stormcage, we need to take Doctor Song back to prison-"

"Prison?" Aliya asked incredulously, looking at River in a new light that wasn't entirely a good one. The Doctor had never mentioned that River was in prison. "And what about me?"

"We're having a bi-plane lesson in 1911, but it could be knitting, knitting or bi-planes, one or the other." The Doctor said as he sat back down in one of the seats. He said nothing, and Aliya and River slowly edged around the console to look at him. He looked defeated, but when he raised his eyes to stare at them there was still fire remaining.

"What? A mysterious summons, you think I'm just going to go?" He asked. "Who sent those messages?" He looked between them with an expectant expression. "I know you know, I can see it in your faces. Don't play games with me, don't ever, ever, think you're capable of that." He was angry, and clearly felt betrayed, but did a good job of hiding it.

"You're going to have to trust us this time," River said boldly. He stood up and walked over to her, a dangerous look in his eye.

"Trust you? Sure. But first of all, Doctor Song, just one thing, who are you?" His face was so close to hers, and Aliya watched with pity, and some other strange emotion in her stomach she had trouble identifying.

River did not answer, and merely met his gaze evenly.

"You're someone from my future, guessing that, but who?" He briefly glanced at Aliya before turning back to River. "Okay. Why were you in prison, who did you kill?"

_She killed someone. _Aliya thought to herself, her hearts seemed to be beating faster than normal. Her only ally, the only other person that was able to help her, was a murderer. She bit her lips as she continued to process the new information.

The Doctor stared River in the eyes and spoke in a low tone. "Now, I love a bad girl, me. But trust you? Seriously?"

"Trust me," Aliya said. He turned to her.

"Okay." He walked up to her so that their faces were as close as his and River's had been.

"You have to go and you have to do this," Aliya told him solemnly. He opened his mouth. "Don't ask why, because I can't tell you."

"Are you being threatened, is someone making you say that?" The Doctor asked her, and he looked angry at the thought.

"No," Aliya said firmly.

"Are you lying?"

"No."

He studied her. "Swear to me, swear to be on something that matters." She was silent for a few moments before she finally she thought of something important enough.

"The rain," She whispered, and watched his face soften ever so slightly before he nodded a little.

"Okay..." The Doctor's eyes had lost focus just a little, and Aliya found herself wondering if he was remembering it as she did, remembering how he had taken her outside the Citadel to feel the rain on her skin for the first time. They had danced in it all night like children, and ultimately caught the Time Lord equivalent of a cold, but it was one of her fondest memories, and one of her greatest firsts. Perhaps that night had meant quite a lot to him as well. "My life in your hands, Aliyanadevoralundar," He said quietly while intently staring into her eyes, and she smiled.

She did her best to make it look genuine, but had no idea or confidence about the smile's quality.

* * *

**So what did you think? Things I would be particularly interested to know what of course be Aliya's reaction to the Doctor's death, and stuff like that, also the flashbacks and what you thought of those.**

**Please review!**

**-MayFairy :)**


	29. The Impossible Astronaut: 1969

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**So this chapter sees the end of 'The Impossible Astronaut', with the same cliffhanger as on the show, though less dramatic effect, I think.**

**I hope you like it! :D**

* * *

"So!" The Doctor said cheerfully. "Canton Everett Delaware the Third. Who's he?"

The Doctor and River looked him up on the scanner while Aliya sat down in the seat he had previously occupied.

"Ex FBI. Got kicked out. Six weeks after he left the bureau, the President called him in for a private meeting." River read.

"1969, who's President?" The Doctor asked.

"Richard Milhous Nixon. Vietnam, Watergate, some good stuff too."

"Not enough," commented the Doctor.

"Hippie!" River Song accused playfully, grinning.

"Archaeologist," He retorted. Aliya smirked fondly at their bickering.

"Okay, since I don't know what I'm getting into this time, for once I am being discreet. I'm going to put it on silent." The Doctor said in a tone that suggested they should be impressed.

He flicked a switch and the TARDIS groaned loudly. Aliya quickly flicked the switch a different way, and it was immediately silent.

"Did you do something?" The Doctor asked her.

"No." She feigned innocence.

"I'm putting the outer shell on invisible, haven't done this in a while, big drain on the power. I'm going to turn the TARDIS invisible." This time when he had activated the 'invisibility', all the lights blared on. River switched the lever so that the lights went off and the TARDIS really did become invisible.

"Did you touch something?" The Doctor asked suspiciously.

River shook her head. "No, just admiring your skills, sweetie."

"Good, you might learn something! Okay…" He went back to his work.

Aliya and River both exchanged smirks.

"Now, I can't get the scanner, doesn't work when we're cloaked. Just give us a mo'." He dashed out of the doors. When the women began to follow him he backed up.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a moment." He said, and they stopped.

"Why?" Aliya asked impatiently.

"We're in the middle of the most powerful city, in the most powerful country on Earth. Let's take it slow." He slipped out of the door.

* * *

After a little while the TARDIS jolted.

"Every time," River said in exasperation, shaking her head.

"Get the scanner working, now!" Aliya told her. "I know he said that it can't, but-"

"I know. Bless." River said fondly, and Aliya grinned and the other woman plugged in a cable. The scanner came to life, showing the Doctor being held down in an office by bodyguards. He was yelling.

"River! Have you got that scanner working yet?" He asked.

River grinned. "Oh, I hate him."

"Same."

"No you don't, neither of you!" He argued. "Girls, make it blue again!" River quickly turned off the invisibility.

"Do you think you can just shoot me?" The Doctor asked all the men who were pointing guns at him.

River burst out of the TARDIS. "They're Americans!" She yelled, and as Aliya also stepped out, she guessed that because they were Americans, River believed they would just shoot him. Aliya preferred not to make judgements, but seeing all the guns made her side with River a little.

"Would you mind not shooting us?" Aliya asked indignantly as she and River threw their hands up. "We haven't actually done anything _wrong._"

"Yes, don't shoot, definitely no shooting." The Doctor stood up quickly.

Someone, the President, perhaps, made a move but a man who seemed to be important held out a hand. "You need to stay back." He said.

"But who are they?" The President demanded. "What is that box?"

"It's a police box!" The Doctor said exasperatedly. "Can't you read? I'm your new undercover agent, on loan from Scotland Yard. Codename: The Doctor. These are my top operatives, the Angel, and Mrs Robinson."

"I hate you," River said as she shook her head, glaring.

"You don't," He said confidently.

"Who are you?" The President demanded again.

"Now, boring question. Who's phoning you? Now that's interesting. Because Canton here is right, that was definitely a girl talking, which means there is only one place in America she can be phoning from."

"Where?" Canton asked.

"Do not engage with the intruder, Mr Delaware!" One of the bodyguards said forcefully.

"You heard everything I heard, it's simple enough. Give me five minutes to explain. On the other hand, you lay a finger on me or one of my friends, and you'll never ever know," The Doctor said as he sat down and crossed his feet when he put them up on the desk.

"How did you get it in here?" Canton asked. "I mean, you didn't carry it in."

"Clever, aye?" The Doctor said smugly.

"Love it," Canton replied.

"Do not compliment the intruder!" The same guard as last time scolded.

"Five minutes?" Canton said, holding up five fingers.

"Five," The Doctor confirmed.

"Mr President, the man is a clear and present danger to-"

"Mr President, the man walked in here, with a big blue box, and two of his friends." Canton pointed to the man who was so against the Doctor. "And that's the man he got past. One of them is worth listening to….say we give him five minutes, and see if he delivers."

"Thanks, Canton," The Doctor said happily.

"If he doesn't, I'll shoot him myself." Canton finished. The Doctor's smile vanished.

"Not so 'thanks'." The Time Lord corrected. The arguments continued, but finally Canton spoke again.

"Five minutes," He said firmly. The Doctor leaned forward in the seat as the men pointing guns at Aliya and River lowered them.

"I'm going to need a SWAT team ready to mobilise," The Doctor started, "Street maps that cover all of Florida, a pot of coffee, twelve Jammy Dodgers and a fez."

"Get him his maps." Canton said, and the Doctor looked disappointed. Aliya could not help but laugh, earning her some confused and annoyed looks from some of the others in the room.

* * *

The floor, chairs and desk were now completely littered with maps.

"Why Florida?" Canton asked as the Doctor brought another map over to the desk.

"That's where NASA is, she mentioned a spaceman, NASA is where the spacemen live." The man in the bowtie replied. "Also…" He glanced back at Aliya and River for a moment, "There's another lead I'm following."

"Probably the same spaceman we saw at the lake, yeah? The one who…shot him?" Aliya whispered.

"Probably." River agreed. She walked off to talk to the Doctor, and Aliya turned her eyes to the door. Standing in the corridor outside was a creature, a creature staring at directly at her. It was humanoid, with gnarled features for a face. It wore a suit.

Suddenly a memory appeared in her mind, a memory that was hers, but she had not remembered until that moment. She had seen the creature before, when they had been picnicking by the water in 2011.

Aliya walked towards it, intent on finding out what it was doing here, and what it had been doing in 2011. She soon found two agents blocking her path.

"Where are you going?" One of them asked. She looked at them and frowned.

"I don't know…" She brought her hands to her stomach. "I feel a bit sick though, now that you mention it." Her insides were all queasy, which felt strange. What did you do when you felt sick? Find somewhere with water? "Is there a bathroom I can use somewhere?" She asked.

"Are you okay?" The Doctor asked.

"Just feeling a bit weird, I'll be fine." She replied quickly.

"Sorry ma'am, but while this procedure is on-going you must remain in the Oval Office." One of the agents in black said.

"Shut up and take her to the restroom," Canton said irritably.

The agent gestured to his friend. "This way." He led her through the door.

"Thanks."

* * *

Canton watched the Doctor pour over the maps.

"Your five minutes are up." He said flatly.

"Yeah, and where's my fez?"

* * *

The agent led Aliya down the hall and gestured to a door that said 'Ladies' on it.

As she went to open the door he made to follow, and she raised an eyebrow at him.

"The door says 'Ladies'. I'm pretty sure you don't fit under that category." She said.

He then stood outside as she entered the bathroom.

With intent to splash her face with water or something similar, she began to make her way over to the sink when she caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of her eye. She jumped in surprise, and after much difficulty, fought the urge to scream.

The creature made a menacing noise in its throat. She stood her ground, trying not to show the fear that was attacking her.

"You were at the lake, just before he died. But you're here too." Aliya said quietly. It continued to make the noise. "But every time I forget. And you shouldn't be able to do that, because my brain isn't as flimsy as what you might be used to. How can you do that? What are you?"

A toilet flushed and a middle aged woman came out of a cubicle in between Aliya and the monster.

"Get back!" Aliya cried warningly. The woman turned and cried out in a surprised sort of laugh.

"Oh my god, what is that? Is that a mask?" She asked in a strange sort of delight. "Is that a Star Trek thing? Ben, is that you?"

"Why won't you get back?" Aliya pressed. The woman turned around and looked at her with a blank expression.

"Get back from what, honey?" She asked.

"The thing right behind you!"

The woman turned to face it again. She squealed again. "Oh my god, look at that. Is that a Star Trek mask? Ben, that's got to be you!" She paused in confusion. "Hang on, did I just say all that?" She began to inch closer.

"Why are you going closer?" Aliya was getting frustration to add to her terror.

_Why must humans always do the opposite of what you tell them to? _She thought to herself.

"Closer, honey? Closer to what?" The woman said just as cluelessly as before. It was eerie for Aliya to watch. The lights began to flicker. "Oh, those lights, they never fix them." The woman did not see the creature lift its hand to point at her.

"Look behind you." Aliya said fearfully.

She shook her head. "There is nothing behind me…" She trailed off as she turned around and was hit by lightning-like energy that had come from the monster's hand. He seemed to be channelling it from the power in the lights. The woman screamed as the creature made a horrible dry sucking noise. The woman exploded into nothing.

Aliya watched in horror, a single tear sliding down her face for the woman she hadn't even known. Eventually she brought her face up to look at the being across the room from her. Aliya's eyes were full of fire. The Doctor had taught her many things, and she didn't tolerate the murder of innocents.

"Why did you kill her?" She asked the creature angrily. "She wasn't a threat, she couldn't remember you!"

It said nothing, merely looked at her.

"I've figured it out. We can only remember you while we can see you. The moment we look away we forget." She told it. "And you see, I found this a few days ago. I liked it because it played music. It's a bit primitive, but it's fun. Early twenty first century, these are going to be all the rage." Aliya said. She took a pink iPod out of her pocket, and held it up. The camera function on it immediately snapped a picture of the creature. She put it back in her jeans. "Why did you kill her?" She asked again.

"Joy," It said slowly in a rasping voice.

"What?"

"Her name…was Joy. Your name…is Aliya. You must tell the Doctor."

"Tell him what?"

"Tell him what he must know…and what he must _never _know!" It said as it came towards her.

"Of course you'd know about that, you were there moments before, possibly not just before either….was it you? Did you have something to do with the thing that killed him?" She yelled, anger seeping through. "Because if you did, I'll tell you right now that he's not the only Time Lord you should fear, because I will do anything, and I mean, _anything, _to save him."

It continued to move towards her.

"Tell him," It said again.

Aliya gave it one last glare and fled from the room. She came out of the door to find the agent giving her a suspicious glance.

"You okay?" He asked.

"Fine." She attempted a smile, while she felt like there was something in the back of her head, trying to remind her…and one thought made it through. "But I have to tell the Doctor."

"Tell him what, ma'am?"

Aliya frowned. "I'm not sure…I just…never mind."

"This way, ma'am." He began walking back to the Oval Office.

* * *

The phone in the oval office rang, startling the many current occupants.

"The kid?" Canton asked.

"Should I answer it?" Nixon sounded worried.

"Here! The only place in the United States that call could be coming from." The Doctor said triumphantly, and pointed. "See, obvious, when you think about it."

"You sir, are a genius." Canton said as he looked at the place where the Doctor had pointed.

"A hobby." The Doctor shrugged.

"Mr President, answer the phone." Canton said.

Nixon carefully picked the phone up and hit the 'record' button on his tape recorder. "Hello? This is President Nixon."

"It's here!" The child said. "It's gonna get me! It's gonna eat me!"

Aliya had re-entered the room, and exchanged a look with River.

"There's no time for a SWAT team, let's go!" The Doctor said. "Mr President, tell her that help is on the way, and Canton, on no account follow me into this box, and close the door behind you!" The Doctor pulled his coat on and ran into the blue box after Aliya and River.

"What the hell are you doing?" Canton asked, running after the bowtie wearing man into the police box, and the door closed behind him.

Canton stared at the inside of the TARDIS while trying to get his head around the sheer size of it.

"Jefferson isn't a girl's name, and it's not her name either. Jefferson, Adams, Hamilton, River!" The Doctor said as he ran around the console manically. He knew she would know the significance.

"Surnames of three of America's founding fathers." River said immediately.

"Lovely fellows. Two of them fancied me." He replied seriously.

Canton turned around to find Aliya looking at him with a smile.

"How are you doing?" She asked warmly. "I can see why it might take a while to get used to." Canton said nothing, merely continued to look around in amazement.

The Doctor in the meantime was still going. "You see, the President asked the child two questions. 'Where are you?', and 'who are you?'. She was answering the first."

"It's bigger…on the inside." Canton finally managed to say.

"I'm sure you'll get used to it pretty quick." Aliya said reassuringly.

"Now, where would you find three big historical names in a row like that?" The Doctor asked.

"I don't know!" Aliya called with a smile.

"Here!" He said as he landed the TARDIS with a forceful push of a lever. He dashed over to the doors excitedly. He took one look at the still stunned Canton.

"You can deal with this," He said to Aliya, who's face contorted with indignance and surprise.

"Why do I get stuck with him, exactly?" She asked irritably, crossing her arms.

"You're the newest, and frankly, it would do both of you good." The Doctor replied as he and River left. Aliya frowned but patted Canton's shoulder comfortingly. Eventually the two of them left the TARDIS.

"We've moved," Canton exclaimed in disbelief as he looked around. "How can we have moved?" Aliya closed the TARDIS door behind her.

"We haven't even got to space travel yet!" The Doctor said in exasperation.

"I know!" Aliya agreed. She glanced at Canton and added, "Though I'm still getting to the time and space travel bit."

"Time travel?" Canton said.

"Braveheart Canton, come on!" The Doctor walked off.

"So we were in a box that's bigger on the inside and can travel through time and space." The FBI man said.

"Well that's a very basic way of putting it, but I can't say I expected anything less." Aliya said as the two of them began to follow the Doctor.

"And how long have Scotland Yard had this?" He asked seriously while looking worried. Aliya laughed.

"Oh Canton," She looped her arm around his shoulders. "They can only dream." Not that she was entirely sure she knew what Scotland Yard was…but he didn't need to know that.

They caught up to the others, who were flinging flashlights around the darkened area.

"Doctor?" Aliya called forward, trying not to let her voice show the feeling of terror that the dark was causing to creep along her back. "It's a bit dark in here."

"Of course it is, it's…" The Doctor trailed off as he realised what she meant. He turned around and flung his beam of light onto her face, a tender and sympathetic expression now on his own. "Right. Of course. Silly me, I forgot."

River hadn't caught on yet, while Canton looked confused.

"Have you got anything bigger than that?" Aliya asked shakily while motioning to the flashlights. He frowned and dug around in his pockets for a minute before pulling out a huge lamp, the same one he had used to fend off vampire fish in Venice. Aliya's eyes lit up with relief.

Canton's eyes bugged as the Doctor threw the handheld lamp back to Aliya, who fumbled but eventually caught it.

"How did he fit that in his pocket?" Canton asked the blonde as the four of them continued to walk.

"They're bigger on the inside too. I have a denim jacket that's the same, but it's inside the TARDIS," Aliya shrugged, now looking considerably more comfortable as she held the lamp in front of her.

"TARDIS?" Canton raised an eyebrow.

"The police box."

"Oh." He looked down at where her left hand's knuckles were white as she clutched the hilt of the lamp with much more force than necessary. "You afraid of the dark or something?" He asked, half joking.

"Maybe," Aliya said testily. "Do you have something to say about that?"

Canton did his best not to look sceptical. "No. It simply seems a little…childish."

Aliya ignored that, deciding not to comment on the fact that she was centuries older than him.

"It's a warehouse of some kind." River deducted. "Disused."

"You realise this is almost certainly a trap, of course?" The Doctor asked.

"Well, I noticed the phone, yes." River replied casually.

"What about it?" Aliya asked.

"Cut off, so how did the child phone from here?"

"We'll see when they to kill us, and then work backwards." The Doctor said.

"Yeah, great plan," Aliya said sarcastically.

* * *

"Now why would a little girl be here?" River was scanning the area with her handheld device.

"I don't know. Let's find her and ask her." The Doctor said. They rounded a corner and stared at the large contraption that lay there.

"It's non-terrestrial, definitely alien." River informed him when she looked at her scanner. "Probably not even from this time-zone."

"Which is odd, because look at this!" The Doctor had found a crate of primitive space gear. Suits, helmets, all in crates, all the kind of equipment that the astronauts heading to the moon would be using.

"It's Earth tech. Contempory." River said in surprise.

"This is very contempory, this is cutting edge! This is from the space program!" The Doctor corrected her.

"Stolen?"

"Apparently. I mean, look how cool this stuff is!" The Doctor put the helmet on before flipping up the visor. He grinned.

"I think he's okay now." Aliya exclaimed as she and Canton joined the other two.

"Oh, back with us, Canton?"

"I like your wheels."

"That's my boy." He patted Canton on the shoulder. "So, little girl…let's find her."

* * *

River was examining some of the alien tech when Aliya knelt next to her.

"River…"

"I know what you're going to say," River said immediately.

"I think you have an idea, but the wrong angle," Aliya said haughtily.

"You're thinking if we can find the spaceman in 1967 and neutralise it, then it won't be around to kill the Doctor in 2011," River said flatly.

"Yes and no. The idea of course occurred to me a while back. But I know that we can't just change it like that, and I had a feeling you did too. I just had to check." Aliya shrugged. River frowned at the other blonde.

"I know we can't, so don't worry; We're on the same page."

"Good. Because you're like me, you want to more than anything, but you know you can't." Aliya said sadly. She bit her lip. "River?"

"Yeah?"

"Earlier, you said 'there is a far worse day coming for me'. I think I sort of understand, but…"

"When I first met the Doctor, a long long time ago, he knew all about me. Or so I thought. You were there, you know that." River tried to smile, but Aliya could tell it was a sensitive subject. "Think about that. Impressionable young girl, and suddenly this man falls out of the sky. He's clever and mad and wonderful, and as far as I knew, he knew every last thing about me. I didn't realise for a long time afterwards that it wasn't strictly true. The third time I met him, he really did know everything. Imagine what that does to a girl."

"I think I can sort of understand," Aliya said quietly.

"The trouble is, it's back to front, more or less. My past is his future. We're travelling in opposite directions. Almost every time we met, I know him more, he knows me less."

River looked at Aliya with a saddened expression. "I live for the days when I see him, but I know that every time I do, he's one step further away. A day is coming, when I'll look into that man's eyes, my Doctor, and he won't have the faintest idea who I am." Her voice was tortured, almost broken. Aliya felt her hearts stir.

"Oh, River." She said, and hugged the other woman. River was glad of the comfort, of someone who could even come close to understanding. "I understand, I really do. I've known him for a long time, and once, he also looked at me, and he didn't have a clue. I thought I was going to break."

"I think it's going to kill me." River whispered into Aliya's shoulder. Her words drove a little too close to home, as Aliya knew her words to be truer than even the woman speaking them realised.

They broke apart and exchanged understanding looks.

"River, just remember that despite everything, the day that he meets you is one of the two days that your life with him starts. Even time travellers must have first meetings. And it's going to hurt, but you know it has to happen." Aliya said quietly. River forced a nod and continued on.

Her flashlight followed the cables she had been examining to a sort of pothole.

"Doctor? Look at this…" The man soon came rushing over. River knelt by it and shoved the cover off to reveal a daunting opening.

"So where does that go?" The Doctor wondered aloud.

"There's a network of tunnels running under here." River announced as her device scanned the hole.

"Life signs?"

"No, nothing that's showing up…"

"Those are the worst kind," The Doctor muttered. River began climbing down. "Be careful!"

"Careful? Tried that once. Ever so dull…" She said with a smirk.

"Shout if you get in trouble…" The Doctor said worriedly.

"Don't worry, I'm quite the screamer…" River said suggestively, smiling. "Now there's a spoiler for you!" The Doctor smiled despite himself.

"So what's going on here?" Canton asked.

"Nothing, she's just a friend," The Doctor said quickly. Aliya snickered.

"He means the aliens, Doctor." She rolled her eyes.

The Doctor smiled. "Okay!" He patted them both on the shoulder before striding off in a different direction.

* * *

"So…I was in a bar having a drink." Canton said to Aliya as they examined the tech lying around. "Tell me honestly: Am I still there?"

She smiled with some understanding. "Sorry, but no."

River's voice came from the opening, but it was not muffled, so they knew she had come up. "All clear! Just tunnels, nothing down there I can see. Uh, give me five minutes, I want to take another look around."

"Stupidly dangerous!" The Doctor called out.

"Yep!" She agreed cheerfully. "I like it too." She looked at Aliya who was standing nearby, and said slightly more quietly, "Aliya, look after him."

"You know I will." Aliya said softly. River winked before climbing down into the hole again.

"Aliya, would you mind going with her?" The Doctor asked from some distance away.

"Dark hole, with even less light than up here?" She answered sarcastically. "You can't be serious!"

"Right, stupid, forgot again! Guess she's on her own." He muttered.

"She'll be fine." Aliya grumbled. She and Canton continued searching, with the blonde woman still brandishing her oversized lamp as if it were a weapon. "So…were you kicked out of the…what was it? FBI? Anyway…you were kicked out because…why were you kicked out, exactly? I don't really understand stuff like that."

"I just wanted to get married." He replied.

"But that's not a crime!" Aliya said indignantly. She paused. "Is it?"

Canton changed the subject. "Doctor…who, exactly?" He pointed towards the man in the bowtie.

"Just, the Doctor." Aliya answered.

"It can't just be, 'The Doctor'."

"Why not?" She asked with a frown. "Why does no one ever just accept that?"

"Why do you?" He retorted. "It's not a real name, so why do you accept it?"

"Because it is a real name for him. It is his just as Canton is yours and Aliya is mine. It's not our fault it takes people a long time to understand that," Aliya said seriously. Canton decided to move on.

"And you work for him?" He guessed.

"I don't work for anyone." Aliya folded her arms. "We're friends. We travel together."

"In time and space," Canton said jokingly.

"Yes." Aliya replied. "We were apart for a long time, and then he found me. But I don't know, I feel like I should have told him something…" She frowned, almost sensing the part of her brain that had been tampered with. "But stuff seems to get in the way."

"Stuff does that," Canton said vaguely.

Suddenly the child's voice came echoing through the room.

"Help me!" She cried. All three of them turned their heads to it.

"That's her," Canton said firmly. The three of them ran forward, Canton with his gun held up. Aliya tripped, and the Doctor ran back to help, picking up her large lamp and putting it back into her hand.

"Thanks." She smiled.

"Doctor! Doctor, quickly!" Canton was yelling.

They rounded a corner to find the FBI man on the floor, not moving.

"Canton? Canton, are you okay?" The Doctor asked as they rushed over to the man, and he knelt beside Canton's still form.

"Is he dead?" Aliya whispered.

"No, just unconscious. Got a proper whack there." He replied.

"Help, help me!" The child's voice said again.

A wheezing sound followed by footsteps seemed to be coming closer. Both of the Time Lords turned towards the fast approaching sound.

It was the Spaceman that had killed the Doctor.

Aliya felt her hearts flood with fear and hate and panic. "It's the Astronaut…" She whispered.

The astronaut lifted its arm slowly, exactly like it had on the beach, such a short time ago but also so far into the future. The outside visor of the spacesuit helmet was coming up.

Aliya's mind was waging a huge battle, with her mind yelling one thing and her hearts screaming the other. Before there was time to think about it properly, one side gained dominance. Her hand reached down to close over the gun at Canton's side.

It felt cold and horrible in her hand. She did her best to pay it no attention as she stood up and swung her body around. The gun was now pointed at the astronaut with her finger on the trigger.

"What are you doing?" The Doctor yelled desperately.

She didn't answer, but the moment before she was about to fire she saw the small child inside.

"Help me!" The child pleaded.

Aliya's whole body turned to shock, and the gun dropped out of her hands and onto the floor.

The Doctor stared at her, and as he saw her break into strange, broken sobs, he pulled her into his arms and rocked her back and forth. She buried her face into his shoulder.

"Don't leave me," She whispered fearfully.

The Doctor was utterly confused, but could feel that whatever it was that she knew, it frightened her enough to be prepared to take a life.

He held her tighter.

* * *

**I hope you liked it! **

**Thanks very much, **

**-MayFairy :)**


	30. Day of the Moon: The Silence

**Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter: Romana-II, charliethecat, SkellySaurus, jock wizard, Caligo Origuu, MainPeet, goblindreamer, Spirit-of-the-Rain, ZackAttack96, Doctor-River, Mrs 11th, SuperFunkyGirl1, toavoidconversation.**

**Don't worry, as you will see with this chapter, this story will be a River/Doctor pairing. After all, we all know what happens at the end of this episode! ;)**

**I did the whole episode in one, so it will nice to be able to move on from AUing now. Though please bear in mind that this story is quite AU. Anything from Series 6, don't assume it is canon. River is only involved in this two-parter, she won't be involved in the rest of series so that should help you guys realise how much is changing.**

* * *

Aliya ran down the dirt road as fast as she possibly could. Even with her slightly more powerful stamina compared to humans, the cars in pursuit were still gaining on her. She came to a break in the road, and attempted to run off that way. However, the hill was steeper than expected and she stumbled back. The cars had circled and stopped.

When the doors slammed shut after the occupants of the cars got out, she turned around, her hair whipping her in the face. She paid it no attention. Breathing a little heavier than usual, she kept her eyes on the familiar man who was approaching her.

"Canton," She said simply.

"Aliya," He replied, gesturing to the man next to him, who shook out a black bag.

"What is that?"

"It's a body bag."

Her eyes narrowed. "You people are so crude." She took another look. "It's empty."

"How about that." Canton said coolly, the black sunglasses he was wearing giving him an extra air of detachment.

"Are you really as thick as you led everyone to believe? Can your tiny little brain even remember the reason this all started in the first place?" She questioned scathingly.

Canton cocked his gun and pointed it at her.

"The warehouse?" She tried.

* * *

_The two Time Lords quickly led go of each other and helped Canton up._

_"River, come on!" The Doctor yelled._

_"What the hell is going on?" Canton asked furiously._

_"Look behind you," The Doctor said as Aliya and River made for the exit._

_"There's nothing behind me!"_

_"Look."_

_"Canton, look!" River and Aliya added yells of their own._

_The ex-FBI agent turned to see the creature right behind him._

_"Canton…"_

* * *

Canton's mouth hardened and he fired the gun. Aliya's body crumpled to the ground. Her skin was covered in tally marks.

* * *

Canton walked through the large, open room towards the man in the centre, chained up. Warning signs surrounded him, and Canton paid them no heed.

"We found Aliya." He told the Doctor. "She had strange markings on her arm. Do you know what they are?"

The Doctor had been there for three months, and he had a beard that made him look like the rugged criminal they made him out to be. The chains and strait jacket didn't help either.

"Why don't you ask her?" He said mildly.

Canton merely stared at him, and the Doctor dropped his eyes.

* * *

River Song slowly made her way through the unfinished building in New York in an evening dress, her hair up. Her tally mark covered bare arms held up her scanner as she searched. Upon finding one room empty, she quickly moved to another.

Her head whipped towards every movement. Never in her life had she been more jumpy and afraid.

A creature emerged.

She kept her eyes on it. "I see you," She said shakily as she took a marker and placed another tally mark on her skin. She did the same when another appeared. "I see _you_."

Her head whipped away when she heard footsteps, the sound of guns being loaded, and a familiar voice calling her name.

"Doctor Song…" It said. She look back behind her, and saw nothing. The group of men came into sight. "Go, go, go!"

She ran, only to come to the edge of the building, and no wall lay in her path. Reluctantly, she turned to face Canton.

"It's over." He said, holding up the gun.

"They're here, Canton. They're everywhere!" River told him.

"I know," He almost laughed. "America's being invaded."

"You were invaded a long time ago. America is occupied," She retorted.

"You're coming with us, Doctor Song. There's no way out this time."

She smiled, now calm. "There's always a way out." She stretched out her arms and the men watched in shock as she fell backwards gracefully, off the edge of the building.

* * *

"We found Doctor Song." Canton said to the Doctor, who was more interested in the black bricks slowly being built up around him.

"These bricks, what are they made of?" He asked warily. "Where is she?"

"She ran." Canton replied. "Off the fiftieth floor."

"I'd say zero balance dwarf star alloy. The densest material in the universe. Nothing gets through that." He noted. "You're building me the perfect prison." He turned to direct a steely gaze at the men watching. "And it still won't be enough." He said in a low tone.

* * *

The prison was ready, a resilient black box with no seams that could be seen. The military were dragging the black body bag inside.

"Is there a reason you're doing this?" The Doctor asked as he eyed the bag he knew to contain his best friend.

"I want you to know where you stand." Canton answered.

"In a cell."

"The perfect cell." Canton corrected. "Nothing can penetrate these walls. Not a sound, not a radio wave." He closed the door with a finger pad. "Not the tiniest particle of anything. In here, you are literally cut off from the rest of the universe."

There was a pause.

"So I guess they can't hear us, right?" The man in black asked.

"Good work, Canton," The Doctor replied. He immediately sat up and began to get out of his confines.

The black body bag lurched upwards as Aliya sat up, gasping slightly for air. The Doctor knelt beside her and helped her get it off.

"You okay?" He asked, grinning.

"You make me do that again, and I'll give you an early preview of your next body," She answered coolly.

"I thought so," The Doctor smiled and kissed her fleetingly on the forehead. Then he stood up and fell sideways only to be caught by something invisible, the TARDIS. He snapped his fingers and the door opened.

Aliya watched his fingers with envy. "Why can't I do that?"

"Oh, stop complaining!" He told her before grinning. "Shall we?"

The three of them piled in.

"What about Doctor Song?" Canton asked worriedly. "She dove off a rooftop!"

"Don't worry! She does that!" The Doctor was completely unconcerned. "Aliya, open all the doors to the swimming pool!"

Aliya grinned and dashed off.

* * *

A few minutes later, having come from the swimming pool, River entered the control room, drying her hair with a small fluffy towel. She was smiling.

"So, we know they're everywhere, not just a landing party, but an occupying force, and they've been here for a very, very long time. But nobody knows that, because no one can remember them," The Doctor was saying.

"So what are they up to?"

"No idea, but the good news is, we've got a secret weapon." He led them all outside the now landed TARDIS, and they stood in a field. Nearby, the large Apollo 11 shuttle base stood proud.

"Apollo 11 is your secret weapon?" River asked sceptically.

"No, no, it's not Apollo 11, that would be silly. It's Neil Armstrong's foot." He said with a small smile.

* * *

The Doctor loaded a device that looked like a gun before using it on Canton's hand. The man gave a pained protest and stared at the hand in question.

"So, three months, what have we found out?" The Doctor asked as he moved on.

"They're everywhere," Aliya said glumly. "Every single state of America, or whatever they're called." The Doctor took her by surprise and did the same thing to her hand as he had to Canton. She jumped in surprise and proceeded to glare at him while cradling her hand.

"Not just America, the entire world!" He argued.

"There's a greater concentration here though," River corrected him as she looked at the scanner.

"So you've seen them, but you don't remember them?" Canton asked with disbelief.

River looked at him. "You've seen them too. That night at the warehouse, remember?" He gave no answer. "When you were pretending to hunt us down, we saw hundreds of those things. We still don't know what they look like."

Aliya nodded. "From what we've managed to deduct – which isn't much – the memories of them completely disappear the moment you aren't looking at them. But they aren't completely gone, because it would seem that you can remember the old memories once you are looking at another one. Sometimes you feel sick." She shrugged.

"So that's why you marked your skin."

"Otherwise we wouldn't have known if we had seen any. We had to create something they couldn't erase, something physical, and not a thought or memory."

"How long have they been here?"

"What do you think we've been trying to find out for the last three months?" She raised an eyebrow. "You try tracking and tracing back something that you can't remember!"

"But how long do you think?" Canton pressed.

The Doctor spoke up. "As long as there has been something in the corner of your eyes, or creaking in your house, or breathing under your bed, or voices through a wall." His voice was low as he approached Canton and tried to get the other man to see the gravity of the situation. "They're been running your lives for a very long time now, so keep this straight in your head: We're not fighting an alien invasion, we're leading a revolution. And today the battle begins."

"How?" Canton asked.

"Like this," The Doctor drove his device back to get River's hand without her anticipating the move.

She gave a yell as she jumped back and waved her hand around, and the Doctor only laughed.

"Nano-recorder, fuses with the cartilage in your hand." He did his own hand. "Ow! And it tunes itself directly to the speech sensors in your brain. It will pick up your voice no matter what. Telepathic connection, so the moment you see one of the creatures, you activate it," He activated his own, causing a red light to show, "and describe aloud exactly what you're seeing."

He pressed on his palm, and his voice played back repeated the same words he had just spoke. He then continued. "Because the moment you break contact, you're going to forget it happened. The light will flash if you've left yourself a message, and you keep checking your hand! If you've had an encounter, that's the first you'll know about it."

"Why didn't you tell me this before we started?" Canton asked in confusion.

"I did, but even information about these creatures seems to disappear over time. I couldn't refresh it, because I couldn't talk to you." The Doctor said solemnly.

Canton straightened the Doctor's bowtie, only to find the three time travellers staring at him.

"What? What are you staring at?" He asked.

"Look at your hand." River said shakily. Canton did as she said to see a red light flashing in his palm.

"Why's it doing that?" He asked.

"What does it mean if the light is flashing, what did I just tell you?" The Doctor looked at Canton seriously.

"I haven't-"

"Play it."

Canton pressed on his hand cautiously. His own voice began to talk, saying words the other three had all heard only moments before.

'My God, how did it get in here?'

The Doctor's voice came next.

'Keep eye contact with the creature, and when I say, turn back. And when you do, straighten my bowtie.' The message continued as Canton slowly turned to look at the creature behind him. The conversation that had just happened continued to play through the recorder.

The creature made a snarling noise.

"It's a hologram, extrapolated from the photo on Aliya's iPod, now take a good long look." The Doctor switched the image off. "You just saw an image of one of the creatures we're fighting, now describe it to me."

"I can't." Canton shook his head.

"No, neither can I." The Doctor said gravely. "Now, you straightened my bowtie because I planted the idea in your head while you were looking at the creature."

"Post-Hypnotic Suggestion. Doing stuff without knowing why." Aliya put in.

"Now, little girl in a spacesuit, they got the spacesuit from NASA but where did they get the girl?" The Doctor asked.

"It could be anywhere!" Canton said.

"Except they probably stay in a closed up warehouse, because why bother doing anything else…but probably somewhere that would cause the least amount of attention, but you'll have to find her, I'm off to NASA." The Doctor continued.

"Find her? Where do we look?"

"Children's homes."

* * *

A sleek black car pulled up to the deserted looking children's home. It was a stormy night, and very dark. This did not help Aliya's already unsettled nerves. Canton tried not to get irritated by her anxious squirming.

"Ready? Check." He told Aliya as the car stopped.

She shook her head. "Nothing so far." She said as she examined her palm.

"Clear here too." Canton replied.

* * *

The door to the Children's Home opened to reveal Canton and Aliya, the latter now dressed in a black business suit.

"Hello." The man inside said.

Canton held up his badge. "FBI. You must be Doctor Renford, please, can we come in."

"The children are asleep," Renford said quietly.

"We'll be sure not to wake them up," Aliya assured him.

"Is there a problem?"

"It's about a missing child," Canton explained.

"What are you…?" Renford paused. "Yes, come in please." He opened the door for them.

Renford led them through and up the stairs. It was very dark inside and Aliya threw panicked looks around, though doing her best to hide it whenever one of the two men looked at her. Canton was no more accepting of her fear of the dark than he had been three months ago, and she didn't want to annoy him too much.

"This way. Please excuse the writing," Renford said as they went past a wall that had the words 'Get Out' and 'Leave Now' painted on it. "Keeps happening. I try to clean it up." He got a sponge and began wiping at it.

"Do the children do that?" Aliya asked worriedly.

"Yes, it must be. Yes…" He murmured vaguely, but they saw that the words 'Get out' were also written on his wrist. "My office is this way…" He lead them off.

"We nearly didn't come to this place," Canton told the crazed man. "I understand that Greystark Hall was closed in `67."

"That's the plan, yes."

"What do you mean, plan?" Aliya inquired sharply as she looked around.

"Not long now," Renford sounded relieved.

"It's 1969." Canton told the man.

"No, no, we close in `67, that's the plan, yes."

"You misunderstood me, sir. It's 1969, now."

"Why are you saying that?" Renford looked genuinely confused. "Of course it isn't."

"July."

"My office is this way," Renford said shakily, continuing on as if nothing had happened.

"I'll have a look upstairs," Aliya said to Canton.

"Be careful," The man in the suit said, "Try not to jump at shadows."

"Funny," Aliya said with a roll of her eyes. The large lamp she had had with her previously did not fit into the business suit, and she was not satisfied with the small torch she now carried. She kept a tight grip on it as she pushed a door open that led into an abandoned room full of empty beds.

There was writing on the walls of the room. 'Leave me alone' was the dominant phrase. She walked shakily forward, and called the Doctor on her communicator.

_"Aliya?" _The Doctor's voice came through.

"I think we found the place she was taken from."

"How do you know?"

"It's obvious that these things have been here, but it's deserted. There's one human guy here, and he seems completely off his head."

"Repeated memory blocks will fry your head eventually…find out what you can, but don't hang around!"

"Where exactly are you?" Aliya asked curiously.

"Got to go. Got company." He hung up. Aliya put the communicator away and continued to examine the room.

The door suddenly slammed shut. She turned around abruptly. Now that it was closed she could see the words 'Get out' written across it.

Dashing to the door, she found she could not open it. With the torch, there had been no room for her to bring her sonic with her. She pounded her fist on it, just once, but it did not budge.

That was when she noticed the red light flashing in the middle of her palm. She gulped and pressed down on it.

"There's lots of them. I think they're asleep though. You need to get out. Get out, now!" Her voice told her urgently.

She rattled the door handle as forcefully as she could. It wouldn't open despite her best efforts. She ran to the different windows desperately, and as she reached up to try and pry one open, she saw that her hands were covered in tally marks. Biting her lip in an effort to not let out a scream of any kind, she looked up at the window just as a burst of lightning lit up the room. She saw a reflection of her face, a face that was also swamped with tally marks.

She whirled around, and saw the dozens of creatures hanging from the ceiling, apparently asleep.

She just barely managed to avoid walking into a bucket, and just as she was about to leave herself a message, she heard the door swing open. Flinging one last look around the room, she ran out.

Following another flight of stairs, she came across a narrow attic hallway. Clutching the small torch so hard she was worried it might break, she walked down it. A door was up ahead, and when she opened it, she found herself in a child's bedroom.

She examined the room, taking in the little bed and the toys scattered around the floor. There was a set of drawers covered in photographs, and she went closer for a good look. The photographs all featured the little girl who had been in the spacesuit. The child was very cute, with long curly hair of a light shade and a kind smile.

Aliya smiled tenderly, but it dropped off her face when she glimpsed a picture near the back. It was of a baby, but the woman holding it looked like –

"Help me!" She spun to see the astronaut standing there.

"What are you doing here? Who are you?" Aliya begged, backing up against the drawers as the spacesuit came closer. It slowly lifted its hand to raise the visor and reveal the curly-haired child inside. "Sorry about pointing the gun at you. I was scared. Good thing I noticed just in time, huh?" Aliya tried to give a little unsure smile, but the child merely stared and said nothing. There was something in the girl's eyes, an eerie intelligence. "Why would you kill the Doctor?"

Silence followed her words.

"Please, tell me who you are. I need to know, because I don't understand, and when people don't understand, they do stupid things." Aliya pressed.

"Please help me! Help me! Please!" The child pleaded.

Two of the memory-proof creatures entered through the doorway, making the snarling noise in their throats. Aliya clapped her hands to her mouth in an effort not to scream, but the sound escaped regardless and rang violently through the air.

* * *

Canton ran into the attic, gun at the ready. He was approaching the door, following the sound of an endless piercing scream that was coming from behind a door nearby.

"Aliya? Can you hear me?" He yelled through the door when it did not open.

The screaming continued.

"Aliya, I'm going to try and blow the lock, so stand back…"

"Okay, gun down, I'm here, I've got it." The Doctor came running up the stairs and knelt by the door. "Aliya, I'm here, are you hurt? I'm coming, just hold on!"

She gave no reply, but as before, her screams didn't end.

The sonic opened the door and three of them rushed in, not seeing the little girl around the corner, breathing heavily as she leant her long and loose curls against the wall. River, the Doctor and Canton looked around the empty room. The Doctor quickly scanned the discarded spacesuit that lay on the ground.

"Where the hell is she?" Canton asked.

They were all distracted by the raw, broken sob that emitted from somewhere nearby. The Doctor's eyes fell upon the small red nano-recorder lying on the rug. The noises coming from it were sounds that people could go their whole life without hearing, because they led to imagining what could be so terrible that someone would react like that. Aliya's voice was a mix of crying and screaming, with the viciousness of both in the final product.

The Doctor quickly scooped it up in his hand, cradling it gently while listening to the horrifying screams with a tortured expression.

"They took it out of her," He muttered.

"Is it a recording?" River asked.

The Doctor scanned the nano-recorder with the sonic. "It defaults to live. This is current. Wherever she is now, this is what she is doing."

"What have they done to her? What are they doing to make her scream like this?" Canton wondered with a concerned frown.

"That's an easy one," The Doctor said.

"Of course." River breathed.

"What?" Canton looked between them.

"The dark." The Doctor replied simply. "They've submerged her in darkness. It's the only thing that could make her this scared."

It had quietened down to sobs now. "Doctor…" Aliya's voice whispered. "Doctor…

The Doctor turned the small device over in his hand a few times. "I'm coming, Ali," He said quietly, "Hold on."

He reached out his mind to see if she was nearby, trying to touch her consciousness with his own. He was unsure if it was the darkness that had wrapped itself around her mind during her imprisonment in that void, or whether it was merely his telepathic abilities leaving something to be desired. Either way, he could not feel the spark that was Aliya.

"Theta…" One last murmur came through before her cries once again escalated into screams.

* * *

Now back in the warehouse, the Doctor and River were examining the spacesuit on the alien tech table.

"It's an exoskeleton. Basically a life support. There's about 20 different kinds of alien tech in here."

"Who was she, why put her in here?" The Doctor wondered aloud.

"Put this on, you don't even need to eat." River said. "The suit processes sunlight directly, it has built-in weaponry, and a communications system that can hack into anything."

"Including the telephone network," The Doctor added.

"Easily."

"But why phone the President?"

"It defaults to the highest authority it can find," River explained. "The little girl gets frightened, the most powerful man on Earth gets a phone call. The night terrors, with a hotline to the Whitehouse."

Her eyes moved to the Doctor, who was licking the blue envelope.

"You won't learn anything from that envelope," River told him firmly.

"Purchased on Earth, perfectly ordinary stationery," The Doctor deducted. "TARDIS blue. Summoned by a stranger, who won't even show his face! That's a first for me, how about you?"

River said nothing but continued to watch him. "Our lives are back-to-front. Your future is my past. Your firsts are my lasts."

"Not really what I asked."

"Ask something else then." River turned back to the spacesuit.

"What are the Silence doing, raising a child?" The Doctor asked.

"Keeping her safe, even giving her independence!" River said, quite amazed.

"The only way to save Aliya is to find out what the Silence are up to!" The Doctor continued to ramble, while River watched out of the corner of her eye.

She flicked her eyes to the Doctor's clenched fist, thinking about the small nano-recorder that was inside as she flinched at the continuous screams still coming from it.

"I don't mean to sound insensitive or anything," She said slowly. "But is there any way to turn that off?"

He turned to look at her with a frighteningly solemn gaze. "Turn it off? You want me to turn it off?"

"Yes," River stammered, immediately sensing how wrong her words had been. "I mean, I just thought it might be easier to think, and-"

"Shut up." The Doctor held up his free hand to shush her. "Shut up and just listen."

River reluctantly stopped trying to block out the screams and cringed at the pain-filled noises.

"There, I think you are starting to get it now. She is screaming my name, River. She has been for a very long time now. She screams it because she knows that I will always rescue her, because I am the person who knows her best, who has known her for her whole life. These screams, they remind me what has been taken, and how much I need to get her back. It stays on." The Doctor said fiercely. River kept quiet and went back to examining the suit, listening as his angry silence transformed back into his theorising rambles.

"Of course, it's possible she's not just any little girl," He said eventually.

"Well, all I know is that the machine refuses to identify the species. It's been narrowed down to about 200 different species, and it's no help, because we don't have enough variables to eliminate any." River explained as she read the readings off her scanner. "But she climbed out of this suit, like, she forced her way out. She must be incredibly strong."

"Incredibly strong and running away, I like her!" The Doctor smiled nervously.

"We should be trying to find her."

"No, I have the strangest feeling that she's going to find us."

* * *

After figuring out how the Silence had gotten the spacesuit, and that the spacesuit could quite possibly move by itself, the Doctor wandered away to a corner where River would not be able to hear what was coming through the nano-recorder.

_After all, just because I need to hear the screams, doesn't mean she does, _The Doctor thought. He sighed.

Suddenly, the scream cut off and Aliya's voice began to speak, her words occasionally interrupted by sobs.

"I loved you," She said quietly, and he stiffened, now eyeing the nano-recorder as if it were a bomb. "After you left, I never said it. Even when we travelled together...I never did. Not even…that night in my room. Some people, they'd already figured it out. Romana, obviously. She always was far too perceptive." A sob came out, but it almost sounded like a laugh.

Aliya continued. "Not that she could judge me on it. She knew the feeling. Loving the Doctor… we both knew it far too well. That was why she could never return Brax's affections, I think. He suspected too, about you and me. Never said anything to anyone else. He was a good liar."

The Doctor's mouth tightened at the mention of his brother and his former companion.

"Please…don't…" He said quietly, afraid of what she was going to say but unable to stop her saying anything.

Aliya made a noise in her throat that sounded like a fought back scream. Panting a little, she went on.

"I don't think you ever realised how much it hurt. When you left Gallifrey with Susan, I stood there in that yard full of those Type 40's ready to be decommissioned, and as I watched that rickety old TARDIS dematerialise, I cried. After everything, everything we'd done, you just left and dropped me like it was nothing." The Doctor could tell she was crying, but could not be sure of the cause.

"I offered for you to come with us," He told the nano-recorder intently, cursing the one way link. "You were the one who said no."

Not able to hear him, she added on to her last sentence, her voice a mere choked whisper.

"Like _I _was nothing."

The Doctor felt his face twist with guilt and he kicked at a nearby crate in frustration.

"Did you ever love me back? Properly, ever?" She asked desperately.

"Of course I did," The Doctor murmured, sliding down the wall to a sitting position. It was simple enough to admit when he was alone, and talking about the past.

"I guess I'll never know. Don't even know if I really want to. Either way, the answer will still hurt." Her voice was slightly bitter and at the same time another sob coaxed its way out. "I wished _so _hard for my feelings to go away. After a few centuries they started to, but then you waltzed in, young and handsome, wearing that stupid vegetable-" A laugh escaped her lips. "And everything I loved about you was back. I had no chance. Why do you think I ran away with you?"

The Doctor closed his eyes as he remembered the moment she had told him that she wanted to come with him. The moment he had stolen her away from Gallifrey. Never in his life had he felt so satisfied, it was so great a feat.

"Did you mean to? Did you purposely toy with me when you knew it could never work?" Anger was seeping through now. "I may not have been that young, Doctor, but when it came to you, my feelings were highly impressionable. You are so useless, you know that?"

The Doctor watched the nano-recorder miserably, guessing what was coming next and knowing he would always agree.

"Did you ever know why it was that your children rejected you?" She asked, and he winced. "The genes from Mirraflex can't have helped, but do you know the real reason? Once they were old enough to look after themselves, you paid them no attention. You help the weak, and when they were strong you went back to your stupid escape plans. Susan was the only one who ever got your attention, because she was the only one like you."

The Doctor heard her fight back another scream and only partially succeed.

"It took me a long time to agree with them. It was your other granddaughter who made my mind up in the end."

The Doctor felt his fists clench as thoughts of his daughter entered his mind.

"I was visiting them, and she said to me, 'Why doesn't Grandfather come and see me? He always visits Arkytior.' And that was when I realised that suddenly, I didn't have anything to say." Aliya's voice was hard. "You never even met her, did you? You were too busy working with Susan to get off Gallifrey. You were useless, you abandoned everyone who loved you."

The Doctor ground his teeth, guilt welling up in him, until his hearts fluttered at her next words.

"You know the worst part? When it comes down to it, when I'm really honest with myself…I didn't even care." Aliya stopped a sob. "After being abandoned, after everything…I couldn't bring myself to hate you. But I wished I could, I wished for the feelings to go away."

There was a large pause.

"It may have been a bit later than I had wished, and not the method I would have liked, but three hundred years in a mountain finally did it."

She was cut off from whatever she was about to say next by her own tortured screams.

"Doctor…" She yelled. "Get me out of here…Doctor!"

* * *

Aliya woke to suddenly find herself bathed in a light coming from above. She felt tears of relief begin to run down her face as she realised that she was – at least for the moment – out of the dark.

"Where am I?" She asked, hoping someone would answer. She looked down to see her wrists strapped to the side of the chair she was locked in. She didn't bother trying to force her way out, it was quite obvious that if she was able to escape she would have done so already. One of the creatures came into her vision, making the noise in its throat as it approached the Time Lady.

"You are Aliyanadevoralundar." It hissed.

"Tell me something I don't know." She retorted.

"We do you honour, you will bring the Silence, your part is far from over." It said.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Aliya replied haughtily. "Can't say I've been enjoying myself here, and unless you're deaf, you'll know that. But maybe what you don't know is the fact that now that you've got me here, you've just led the Doctor right into the heart of your lair, because he'll be coming for me."

"You have been here many days," It told her solemnly.

She rolled her eyes. "Was that supposed to take away my hope? The Doctor will come, he always does. But his timing isn't always great. So what if he's a few days off? It doesn't mean he isn't coming-"

"You will sleep now…" The creature said, leaning over her to presumably trigger something on the platform.

"No! Get off, I'll say when I sleep!" She yelled, continuing to struggle. Suddenly, a noise rang through the air, the most beautiful noise in the universe.

The sound of the TARDIS materialising. Aliya breathed a sigh of relief while all of the creatures turned to look at the blue box.

"I think this is the part where I say, 'I told you so'!" She cried gleefully. The door opened and the Doctor poked his head out.

"Oh, interesting." He commented as he took in the surrounds and stepped out of the TARDIS. "Very Aickman Road, I've seen one of these before. Abandoned…I wonder how that happened. Oh well, I suppose I'm about to find out. River, keep one Silent in eye shot at all times." After instructing the woman with the gun he turned to look at the creatures again and pretended to be surprised. "Oh, hello, sorry! Were you in the middle of something? Just had to say, though, have you seen what's on the telly?" He carried a TV around before placing it in front of Aliya's chair.

"Oh, hello, Aliya! You alright, want to watch some television?"

The Doctor was acting casually enough, but as he took in his friends appearance he felt like there was a stone in his stomach. While there were no terrible effects, her eyes were so red rimmed and raw from crying that it looked as though she had a skin defect around them, and the rest of her skin looked pale, a first for her current body. He swallowed and continued as though he hadn't noticed.

He looked around at the creatures. "Ah! Stay where you are." He commanded. "Because look at me, I'm confident. You want to watch that, me when I'm confident."

Aliya felt a huge smile on her face, unable to get over the fact that he was really there.

"Oh, and this is my friend River," He told the aliens as the archaeologist slowly came forward with her gun at the ready. "Nice hair, clever, has her own gun. And unlike me, she really doesn't mind shooting people." He stopped and frowned. "I _shouldn't _like that. Kinda do a bit."

River looked pleased and smiled. "Thank you Sweetie!"

"I know you're team players and everything," The Doctor announced, "But she'll definitely kill at least the first three of you."

"Oh, the first seven, easily." River agreed, now completely back to back with the Doctor.

"Seven, really?" He asked.

"Oh, eight for you, honey," She flirted and pressed herself to his back.

"Stop it." He told her, but Aliya could see him smiling, looking very pleased.

River arched her back against his. "Make me." She purred.

"Yeah, well maybe I will," The Doctor retorted with a grin as he pressed back.

"I look forward to it," River replied smoothly, clearly enjoying herself.

"In the meantime…maybe a rescue?" Aliya raised an eyebrow as she gave the Doctor a meaningful look.

"Yes," He clapped his hands and pointed at her, "Right, sorry! As I was saying, my naughty friend here is going to kill the first three of you to attack plus him in behind. So maybe you want to draw lots or have a quiz, or maybe you could just listen a minute, because all I really want to do is to accept your total surrender and then I'll let you go in peace. You've been interfering in human history for thousands of years, yes, people have suffered, and died, but what's the point in two hearts if you can't be a bit forgiving now and then."

He flashed a grin at Aliya while River's back was turned before looking at the creature in front of him, now solemn once more. "Ooh, the Silence. You guys take that seriously, don't you? Okay, you got me, I'm lying, I'm not really going to let you go that easily, it's a nice thought, but it's not Christmas. But first, you tell me about the girl, who is she, why is she important? What is she for?"

The TV was almost up to where it needed to be.

"Guys, sorry, but you're way out of time." He growled before turning back to the TV, cheerful again. "Now, a bit of history for you. Aren't you proud, because you helped! Now, do you know many people are watching this, live on the telly? Half a billion! And that's nothing, because the human race will spread out amongst the stars, you just watch them fly, billions and billions of them, for billions and billions of years. And every single one of them, at some point in their lives, will look back at this man, taking that very first step, and they will never, ever forget it."

He watched the TV. "Oh, but they'll forget this bit." He held his sonic to his ear. "Ready?"

_"Ready." _Came the voice of Canton Everett Delaware the Third on the other end. The TV had come to the famous part of the footage.

"That's one small step for man…" Neil Armstrong's voice began. Suddenly the picture changed to a video of the Silent which had been captured and held at Area 51.

"You should kill us all on sight." It hissed. Aliya watched the head Silent as it tilted its head. Though it was hard to tell emotions on a creature which had no moving features on its face, she thought it looked angry.

"You've just given the order for your own execution, and the whole planet just heard you." The Doctor said. The Silent snarled.

"You should kill us all on sight." The recording flashed again.

"…One giant leap, for mankind." Neil finished.

"And one whacking kick up the backside for the Silence! You just raised an army against yourselves! And now, for thousands of generations, you're going to be ordering them to destroy you every day." The Doctor said, his face very close to the Silents' now. "How fast can you run? Because this is the day the human race throw you off their planet, they won't even know they're doing it. I think quite possibly that word you are looking for is 'Oops!'." He told the Silent. "Run!" The Silent was collecting it's energy to blast him. "Guys, I mean us, run!"

He dashed away from the Silent. River began shooting everywhere, killing the Silents quickly with her impeccable aim.

The Doctor immediately doubled back to get to Aliya and used his sonic to free her. She slid out and he caught her as her legs were rather unstable. He hugged her fiercely, and she laughed in triumph.

"Thank you." She told him happily.

"I'm sorry I didn't come sooner, I should never have left you there, then you wouldn't have had to be in the dark-" He apologised, and she cut him off.

"The point is that you came when I needed you," Aliya said firmly.

"Run! Into the TARDIS, quickly!" River yelled as she shot at the Silence.

The Doctor helped Aliya over to the TARDIS, her unsteady steps helped by his arms holding her up. He brandished his sonic wildly as they went until he got her to the door.

"Get in. I'll be there soon," He told Aliya. After contemplating the idea of leaving him with distaste, she eventually nodded and went inside, knowing she would be more of a hindrance than a help.

"Don't let them build to full power!" The Doctor shouted to River.

"I know!" She answered. "There's a reason why I'm shooting, honey!" Her gun sent blasts everywhere.

They were back to back again, only this time fighting together.

"What are you doing?" River asked as she heard the sonic's whir.

"Helping!" He replied.

"You've got a screwdriver, go build a cabinet!" She yelled.

"That's really rude!" The Doctor cried indignantly. She shoved him backwards.

"Shut up and drive!"

The Doctor could not help but pause at the door of the TARDIS, watching River in action for a few seconds.

The woman whirled and twisted as though it was a dance rather than a battle. Every movement seemed natural and fluid, and her hair bounced with each one. He briefly wondered what her hair felt like, whether the curls were soft or firm…

He quickly shook himself out of the somewhat dangerous area his thoughts were going into and entered the TARDIS instead.

River kept shooting, and did not falter for even a second as each of the Silence fell at her hand. Eventually she stopped and got up from her crouching position, spinning her gun back into its holster.

The door of the TARDIS opened and Aliya stood in the doorway, leaning and holding onto the second door for the slight support she needed.

"Impressive," The Time Lady said.

"Thank you," River said with a smile, before abruptly pulling out her gun and shooting the Silent behind her without looking.

"And again." Aliya added. River grinned and followed her into the TARDIS.

River immediately ran up to the console and began operating it.

"You can let me fly it! Or Aliya!" The Doctor protested.

"Or we could go where we're supposed to." River retorted. "And anyway, do you really think she's up to it?"

"I'm fine!" Aliya argued as she slowly made her way up the stairs to sit on the jump seat. The Doctor and River continued to bicker as they together piloted the TARDIS back to the Oval Office.

* * *

"This is my stop." River announced as the TARDIS landed after they left America.

"Goodbye, River," Aliya said, and the two women hugged quickly.

"See you, Aliya," River replied with a gentle smile. River walked out the door, smiling at both of them. The Doctor turned back to the console, only to find Aliya staring at him with a raised eyebrow.

"What?" He asked indignantly.

"Go get her!" Aliya commanded, pointing towards the door.

The Doctor followed the line of her finger and then understood. "Oh. Right." He cast an unsure look at her before following River out the doors. She was already standing by her cell, and looked back at him in relief.

"I was beginning to think you weren't coming," She said with a grin.

"Well, you know me. I'm always late." He joked. She grinned, and stepped inside her cell just as he came to be right outside it. "You could come with us…" The Doctor suggested.

"I escape often enough, thank you. And I have a promise to live up to…you'll understand soon enough." River declined. She smoothed his bowtie with a fond smile.

"Okay," He gave a tiny shrug. "Up to you." He began to walk back to the TARDIS, much to River's surprise. "See you next time. Call me!"

"What? Is that it? What's the matter with you?" She asked, laughing nervously.

He held his hands out vaguely. "Have I forgotten something?" He asked.

"Oh, shut up!" She said, shaking her head.

She placed her hand on the side of his face and neck, and kissed him passionately. The Doctor's hand automatically rose to rest on her shoulder, but as her arms wrapped around his waist his own began to flail about in a very teenager-like manner. Her lips were soft and warm and it felt _very nice _but -

He was not someone who had a huge amount of romance in his life, and on the rare occasions that he did, it was often he who initiated it. Being taken by surprise in this incarnation, it would seem, meant that he immediately just began flailing and forgot how to do anything romantic at all.

But, he kissed her back, of course. Despite what he had been trying to tell himself, this was what he wanted, just much sooner than expected. But his lips were unsure, and hesitant as they met hers. Sensing this, she pulled away, and saw his somewhat startled expression.

"Right," He said blankly, staring at her, "Okay. Interesting." He scratched the side of his face thoughtfully.

"What's wrong?" River asked fearfully. "You're acting like we've never done that before."

"We haven't." The Doctor replied.

"We…haven't." River repeated flatly.

"Oh, look at the time, must be off. But it was nice. It was…good." He said awkwardly as he backed away. "It was…unexpected."

River just watched him with pained disbelief.

The Doctor opened the door of the TARDIS. "You know what they say," He said with a smile. "There's a first time for everything." He sort of blew her a kiss before going inside. She watched him go.

"And a last time." River said gravely as she watched the TARDIS dematerialise.

* * *

**Ah! That last scene broke my heart all over again! :'(**

**-MayFairy :)**


	31. Picnic at Asgard

**This is the beginning of the part of the story where we see a lot of River, as her relationship with the Doctor becomes the focus for a while.**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed: Spirit-of-the-Rain (x2), Romana-II, Doctor-River, ZackAttack96, Mrs 11th, toavoidconversation, SuperFunkyGirl1, goblindreamer, Millenia-the-wings-of-valmar, SkellySaurus, charliethecat, padmay97, MainPeet, Caligo Origuu, TheOnyxRose, badwolf7 (x2)**

**That gives me 18 reviews for the last chapter! Thanks so much to all of you! :D**

* * *

In a New York alleyway, a young girl emerged from the dumpsters and surprised a homeless black man digging through the rubbish.

She was coughing violently. Her curly platinum blonde hair nearly shone in the moonlight, but some patches were covered in dirt along with most of her face. She had guarded green eyes that stared at the ground as she slowly walked forward.

"Are you okay?" The man asked. "Little girl, are you okay?"

"It's fine, really." The girl said with a smile, and her voice was just a little too intelligent to be able to match her appearance. "Well, I'm dying…but I'm pretty sure I can fix that. Easy, I think." She watched and let out a breath of relief and slight disbelief as her hands began to glow. "See?"

The man's eyes grew wide as the light surrounding her hands grew and began to cover her face also. He fled in fear, stumbling and forgetting his trolley of belongings.

She began to laugh a little, triumphantly watching and giving in as the light enveloped her whole body and began to channel outwards through pillars of golden energy.

* * *

Aliya waited patiently in the TARDIS while she waited for the Doctor to return.

Leaning back on the console, she accidently turned on the scanner, with full audio. Mentally kicking herself for being so stupid, she began to watch what was going on outside the TARDIS, knowing she shouldn't but unable to resist.

"What, is that it?" River asked the Doctor, who had been heading back towards the TARDIS.

"Have I forgotten something?" He asked as he walked back towards her, his arms out in an almost shrug.

River was grinning at him. "Oh, shut up."

Aliya watched as River pulled the Doctor in and kissed him, and the Time Lady's eyes widened as she stared at the screen. However, as the Doctor's arms began to flail around in what a very comical manner from an outward view, she found her body shaking with laughter. It was not something she had seen from him before but it was something that matched his current personality perfectly, to act like a child when he was over a millennium old, despite the fact he was still claiming 909, because Aliya knew better.

Eventually they stopped kissing, and while Aliya could only see the Doctor's back, River's expression was one of shock.

Aliya heard the Doctor comment. "Interesting."

"What's wrong?" River asked in confusion. "You're acting like we've never done that before."

"We haven't." The Doctor was clearly clueless as to what he had just said, despite River clearly being upset by this information.

"We…haven't." Aliya thought of what River had told her three months previous, and realised with a jolt what it was hurting River. His firsts were her lasts, and suddenly River knew that she would never kiss the Doctor again, that he really was slipping away.

"Oh, look at the time, must be off. But it was nice. It was…good." The Doctor clearly had no idea of the pain he had just caused River. "It was…unexpected."

Aliya watched River and felt her own hearts breaking for the other woman, and not for the first time she cursed the Doctor's uselessness in terms of romance and relationships.

The Doctor partially opened the door of the TARDIS; Aliya could now see his foot from the inside, "You know what they say, there's a first time for everything."

He stepped inside just as Aliya caught River distraughtly uttering four words that actually caused Aliya's hearts to pang in complete empathy.

"And a last time."

The entire situation was painfully heartbreaking to watch, but Aliya quickly turned off the scanner as the Doctor approached the console. However, before she could wipe at her eyes the Doctor noticed.

"What's wrong?" He asked worriedly.

"What's wrong?" She echoed, "Do you have any idea what you just did to her?"

"I kissed her," The Doctor said in confusion.

"Thank you, Doctor Obvious, but did you actually pay attention afterwards? To her?" Aliya pressed, and the Doctor was surprised to hear something that almost resembled anger in her tone.

"Well, no," He replied honestly, looking sheepish, "I was still feeling a bit, you know…wooo!" He spun around energetically with a large grin on his face. "From the kissing part. And how do you know all of this?"

"Scanner, I accidently turned it on," Aliya interjected quickly before returning to what she had been going to say originally. "Did you notice anything about River afterwards? Anything?"

She was getting upset again, her pain – or rather, her sensitivity to River's pain – clearly visible but much to the Doctor's bewilderment.

"No…what's wrong, Ali?" He tried again.

"Stop asking that! It's not about me, it's about River!" She yelled.

"I think you're a little high strung from being in the dark so long," The Doctor said quickly. "Calm down, and breathe."

"Shut up and just listen! I'm fine, it's not about me. Stop worrying about me, because regardless of whether I am high strung or not doesn't change the fact that you didn't even realise that you just ripped out River's heart. You were too busy still being excited about kissing her to notice how it affected her." Aliya cried.

The Doctor flinched at a little at the contempt in Aliya's eyes as she glared at him completely seriously. With her still raw, reddened eyes and slightly sickly skin colour, he felt a strange pity, and her glare added an element of fear.

"Well whatever I've done, I didn't mean to, I didn't do it on purpose," He said slowly, moving towards her, his hand outstretched to her.

Her mouth hardened and she turned to quickly walk up the stairs and make an exit. However, before leaving completely, she stood at the top and gazed at him with saddened eyes.

"Useless," She said softly, and with that Aliya meandered out of his line of sight.

The Doctor watched her leave and wondered what he could possibly have done to River that would make someone else react this strongly. _Why couldn't Aliya just mind her own business? _He wondered irritably, and shoved one of the levers on the mechanical panel of the console more forcefully than necessary.

Whatever it was he had done to River, he would be sure to make up for it next time, regardless of whether or not he had done it yet in her time stream.

* * *

Once the TARDIS was set in regular flight, the Doctor made the decision to attempt to find Aliya and set things right.

After sending multiple pleads to the TARDIS, he finally found himself in front of the door which led into the Library. He grabbed the brass handle and pushed the intricately carved door open, and entered the room filled with bookshelves all the way up to the very high ceiling, and every single bookshelf in sight was crammed to bursting point with thousands of different kinds of texts from thousands of different planets and times.

He wandered through until he spotted her lying on one of the many sofas. She seemed to be almost in a trance, her eyes open wide but staring blankly ahead with no focus at all.

"Aliya?" He asked tentatively, and she jumped a mile, her trance-like demeanour breaking as her head snapped up towards him. Her entire body recoiled a little, no longer covering the entire sofa, her legs now bent and nearer to her chest.

She gave him a weak smile, but her face was strained.

He sat down next to her, and her eyes watched him warily. Eventually her whole body relaxed with a defeated sigh.

"You were right…" She said quietly, and chuckled darkly a little. "Who am I kidding, you're always right."

"Well, naturally, I'm the Doctor, of course I'm always right." His attempt at slight humour went unappreciated. Eyeing her annoyed stare, his smile fell off his face, and when he spoke next his voice was gentle and sincere. "Which part, exactly?"

"I'm not…but I-" She bit her lip. "I can't…I haven't…I don't know what to do!"

"Yes, I was definitely right. You're high-strung after being in the dark for so long." He said seriously, eyeing her. "And frankly, you look ill." He frowned.

"It's not just the dark, that's not the reason I look ill, it's because the Silence made me sleep for over a day at a time, and my body doesn't know how to react to it anymore!" She explained.

"Sleep? Why doesn't your body know how to react to sleep?" He asked in disbelief, as though he had heard her wrong.

"Because I'm sleep deprived!" Aliya shot back, and rested her elbows on her raised knees so as to be able to bring her head forward and hold it in her hands. Her fingers ran slowly over her face in distress, streaming through her hair. "Three months apart has finally shown you what you failed to notice before."

"Sleep deprived? Why? You have a bedroom, don't you?" His own words caused the Doctor to contemplate the fact that he had no idea if she did have a bedroom, where it was or what it looked like. "With a bed?"

"Of course I do!" She retorted irritably.

"Then why? And for how long?" He frowned in confusion and worry.

"300 years and six months!" The odd number that fell from her lips confused the Doctor for a few seconds and when he got it straight in his head it made even less sense.

"300 years…" He repeated, "The mountain? But surely, you would have-"

"Fully conscious. The whole time." Aliya stated darkly, her eyes piercing as they stared at him.

"Really?" He asked, disbelieving.

"Well, obviously I can't be sure. But sleeping would have been exactly the same anyway. My brain was completely numbed, I wouldn't have dreamed." She shrugged.

"300 years, makes enough sense now I suppose. But six months?" He shot her an inquisitive look.

"Three with you, three in America." She said.

"But that means…" His frown and the concern in his eyes were both growing, which told Aliya he was beginning to understand.

"I haven't slept since I left Gallifrey. I haven't slept during this whole time I have been on the TARDIS. Any time I said so, I was lying." Aliya said, biting her lip and resting her head on her knees tiredly.

"But how is it possible to go without sleep so long? Aren't you tired?" The Doctor asked.

"Of course I am! I'm exhausted."

"Why haven't you slept, why don't you?"

Aliya sighed heavily. "What's the first thing you do when you go to sleep?"

"You shut your eyes, I suppose, unless you're one of those species who sleeps with their eyes open, I knew a fellow like that once, he-"

"Shut your eyes. Just do it for me now." She requested simply, her head lifting a little to watch him as he did as she said.

"Now what?"

"Now, you tell me what you see." Aliya watched as he began to frown.

"But I don't see anything, it's just black, it's just dark…oh." He began obliviously as ever, but trailed off as the understanding of what she was trying to get across hit him.

She gave him a small smile as his eyes snapped open to stare at her in a whole new light.

"You haven't slept…because you're afraid of closing your eyes." He concluded slowly. She nodded.

"I tried, I swear!" She insisted quickly. "I can handle it for about fifteen seconds, but after that, just ended up screaming and shaking." The Time Lady ran her fingers through her hair again, closing her eyes briefly out of tiredness, only to open them again before it could make her too nervous. "I'm such a ridiculous excuse for a Gallifreyan."

"Have you thought about using some kind of medication?" The Doctor wondered, deep in thought.

"Yeah, I'm sure they really sell tablets that cure extreme Ncytophobia," Aliya said with scathing sarcasm. Her words were harsh and negative, and hung in the air.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow at her, and she bit her lip.

"Sorry," She immediately sighed and shot him an apologetic look. "I'm just really…on edge at the moment."

"And with quite good reason," He reminded her. "Now, there may not be tablets that cure extreme Nyctophobia, but how hard can it be to whip up some very concentrated sleeping pills that will send you to sleep whether your eyes are closed or not?"

Aliya shrugged. "All I know is that medical chemistry was the one thing I nearly failed. I learnt 'stay away from aspirin!' and that was about it. Of course, _Doctor, _this should in theory be your expertise." She said wryly, a genuine smile playing on her lips at her own joke.

"You bet it is!" He told her confidently, and he leapt up from the sofa and took her hand before leading her into the infirmary, which Aliya then discovered had a side-room which acted as a laboratory.

The Doctor soon set to work gathering all the needed chemicals while Aliya watched him silently, shifting in her rumpled black business suit.

"Aliya, you're my best friend." He said quietly. She started in surprise after the long gap of silence that had been broken.

"You're mine," She replied uneasily, "Is there a problem with that?"

"No, no! Of course not. But when you've been friends for as long as we have, when a friendship runs this deep…there shouldn't be secrets." He said solemnly, raising his eyes to gaze at her in an intent way that he clearly hoped would sway her. "And you know who send those messages, I know you know, I could see it in your face every time you thought I wasn't looking, and it's still there now."

"I'm sorry-"

"No, no, you're really not. If you _were _sorry, you would tell me." He told her angrily.

"But I-"

"Who sent those messages?" He asked forcefully, banging his fist on the table. "Why can't you just tell me? What could be so bad you can't tell me?"

Aliya bit her lip, uncomfortable under his demanding glare. Eventually her shoulders sank in resignation, and she began to answer his question.

"It was-" She stopped in mid-sentence and frowned deeply. "But…I knew, I know I did, you know I did!" She said in confusion and irritation.

"What are you talking about?"

"I can't remember! How can I not remember? It's just…gone. I know it was bad, it was really, _really _bad, but I don't know!" Aliya said in frustration, looking angry at herself. She resisted the urge to pace, as it was something she hated, and instead drummed her fingers on the table in an impatient four beat rhythm.

This of course caught the Doctor's attention immediately.

"What was that?" He demanded.

"What was what?" She rolled her eyes and wondered how he was not seeing the bigger picture.

"You're doing the drums, the Master's drums, why?"

"Does there have to be a reason?"

"Never ignore a coincidence!"

"For Rassilon's sake, Doctor, it's just tapping on a laboratory counter. It doesn't have any significance!"

"I can never trust him, not in even in death, not even in a Time Lock! So tell me, Aliyana, why are you tapping?" He said fiercely.

"Because when you're that close to someone, things rub off!" Aliya shouted reluctantly, shooting a glare his way. As expected, he did not look pleased by her answer. His mouth set into a hard line and he went back to his work. None of the Doctor's she had met previously had liked to have been reminded of her relationship with the Master, and clearly, this incarnation was no exception. "It only happens every couple of decades or so…but it's still there. Do you still believe they're not real?"

She was unsure as to whether he was ignoring her until he finally answered, but with his eyes still on the different vials in his hands.

"He proved it to me just before I regenerated into this body. And don't worry if you can't remember…you would have told me the secret, so the Silence must have taken it away, maybe they knew you would tell. What _do _you remember? From America? You were in that children's home for a while, and you haven't mentioned it." He said.

Aliya rubbed her temples absently. "The whole thing is fuzzy. I know I went into a room, a room where they held the child…but after that there's just nothing, no details about the room or anything in it, just that it was a child's room. I just remember being in the dark afterwards."

"Okay." He said quietly.

"Sorry," Aliya frowned. "Actually, no, I'm not, because I don't want there to be secrets between us, and even then, there's nothing I could have done."

"No, there wasn't. Clearly they didn't want you remembering. Chances are they probably got River too." The Doctor agreed. He took the solution he had concucted into a vial and took it over to a device in the corner of the room. He poured it in and pressed the buttons rapidly. "There, in six hours there will be lots of lovely tablets for you. In the meantime, just drink the liquid version."

Aliya took the smaller vial he was offering her and eyed it cautiously. "But if they are going to provide instant sleep then won't I have to take this with me to bed? I'll spill it, I know I will."

The Doctor flashed her one of his 'I'm so impressive and I'm about to prove it to you' grins. "That, Aliya, is why I diluted this so you'll have about ten minutes before it works, which gives you time to get ready first."

"Are you sure?" Aliya raised an eyebrow, unsure of whether to trust his skills. This version of the Doctor certainly had a knack for believing he was brilliant at everything when it was in fact the quite opposite.

"Of course I'm sure!" He reprimanded her confidently, and frowned a little. "Well, mostly. There is a slight chance it won't work, but seriously, it's small, I wouldn't worry," He rambled. "Forget I said anything. It will work, I promise."

Aliya turned her eyes to the vial of dark blue liquid as she slowly raised it to her dry lips and swallowed it in one gulp. When no major disaster occurred she smiled in relief and placed the vial back on the counter.

"Thank Rassilon for-" She trailed off drowsily as her eyelids flicked with uncertainty. Her posture began to slip, and realising his mistake, he took a firm hold of her shoulders and waist so she would not fall.

"Oops." He said, avoiding her eyes unsuccessfully. She was able to focus enough to shoot a glare at him as her entire body weight was transferred onto his.

"You screwed it up! Ten minutes, you said! What did I get? Ten bloody seconds!" Aliya told him irritably, and while her voice was supposed to sound tough, the fatigue and drowsiness took the level down a lot.

"You would do that! My sleeping medicine works, and now you're complaining because the delay was a little inaccurate? Is there anything you don't complain about?" The Doctor said with a roll of his eyes, his tone slightly teasing.

Aliya snuggled against his shoulder, her eyes barely open but still fighting. "Captain Jack…" She mumbled before closing her eyes, a contemplative and amused smile etched onto her face as she sleep properly for the first time in years.

The Doctor frowned, the comment on Jack having put him out a bit, but he shifted her in his arms and began sending extreme compliments to the TARDIS, as he had never been to Aliya's room before, and didn't have the slightest clue where it was or what it looked like.

He saw a door appear at the end of the corridor.

_Thank you, old girl. _He thought thankfully before approaching the door that had his friend's name written on it in English and Gallifreyan. He opened it and smiled when he saw the interior.

"Oh, what a nice room you gave her, you sexy thing!" He told the TARDIS happily, and he heard her make a pleased hum. He carried her to the bed and yanked back the cover so that he could gently place her on the bed and pull the duvet over her sleeping form. The blonde woman wriggled into the bed subconsciously, looking peaceful. The Doctor noted that the duvet of the bed was made from the fur of a Trandonian wolf, and spotted a small stuffed toy, clearly meant for a child, lying on the other side of the bed. When he put the toy in his friend's hands, she cuddled it instantly and he couldn't help but chuckle a little.

He hesitated before kissing her forehead softly and went to leave. After hesitating at the door, he felt a smile come to his face as he looked back at her. Shaking his head, he closed the door, dimming the light a little as he left.

Meanwhile, Aliya dreamed of dancing with a blue-haired child under a lilac sky streaked with a golden sunset, and smiled to herself.

* * *

The Doctor bounced around the console, his tweed jacket slung over the railing. His choice of clothing on that day was a light blue shirt and a dark blue bowtie and braces to match.

"So, Aliya, where to today?" He asked cheerfully. Moods were light and carefree in the TARDIS, something both inhabitants were grateful for.

Aliya smiled widely at him as she came down the stairs and sat on the jump seat with crossed legs."Somewhere warm and mild?" She suggested, but was not particularly worried about the destination.

"Ah, I know just the place! It's-" The Doctor began enthusiastically, but trailed off when something in his left jacket pocket began to warm a little.

"Doctor?" Aliya asked questioning when he began digging around in his pockets only to pull out the psychic paper.

"I've got a message!" He said in surprise. "Ooh, that is extremely very exciting, because there is only one woman besides you brilliant enough to pull this off!" He threw the piece of paper at her to look at while he began to set the coordinates to the numbers in the message.

Aliya looked at the piece of paper and raised an eyebrow in slight amusement.

_123543782*84363#65/G_

_Hurry Sweetie! Xx_

"River got herself into trouble again?" Aliya grinned.

"When is there ever any doubt?" The Doctor said with a smile.

"I know…" Aliya began seriously, "She's almost half as bad as you!" She smirked at the Doctor's indignant scowl.

"That woman lives in a prison…" He began irritably.

"-Which she can leave any time she chooses-"

"…because she killed someone…"

"-and you only killed our entire species-"

"…and apparently he was a good man, the best man she'd ever known…"

"-so that rules you out then, because you're not good at anything-"

"…yet despite being a murderer, she constantly helps me and saves my life…"

"-someone has to, and it can't always be me-"

"…and she really is a _great _kisser…" The Doctor was getting a little distracted by this point.

"-well, I can't say I would know too much about that, though if you _really_ wanted a second opinion, I _suppose_ I could give it a try-"

"Yes, you really should…wait…Stop that!"

The Doctor had finally stopped listening to himself talk enough to notice Aliya's sarcastic side comments and incorporate them into what he was saying. Aliya waggled her eyebrows at him infuriatingly.

Because of his careless words, there was now a strange thought in the foreground of his brain, and her cheeky grin was not helping. He was having trouble getting the image of River Song and Aliyanadevoralundar kissing out of his head, and he wasn't sure why he did not find the thought disgusting in any way – quite the opposite, really - but he quickly dispersed it regardless.

Suddenly, he had a flash of understanding for how Rory had felt on the topic of two Amy's.

Aliya of course, had not flirted with herself on that occasion, though she had done a few full circles of herself, because she wanted to see what she looked like from every possible angle.

The Doctor frowned.

"Are you going to pick her up, or what?" Aliya asked him, breaking him out of his irregular thoughts.

"Well, I'm not going to let her drag me into anything, but if she needs my help, who am I to refuse?" He grinned with an air of smugness. She rolled her eyes.

* * *

River Song ran through the underground tunnel, her extremely curly hair bouncing with each movement she made to escape her pursuers. She drew her own weapon and opened fire back onto them in retaliation to all the shots they had been aiming at her, and continued to run sideways as she did so.

She'd had a lot of practice when it came to this sort of thing.

Still, she was still very much hoping the Doctor would make an appearance soon, or else that would make things significantly more difficult.

Her army boots clamped against the sturdy clay floor of the passage, and she felt glad she had least tried this while wearing stolen military uniform from the Clergy, as a dress would have made this considerably more difficult.

Her own equivalent to an angel's song began to ring through the air, the wheezing of his bad driving one of her favourite noises despite the fact it wasn't supposed to happen.

She kept running towards it, and rounded a corner to see the blue box several metres ahead. The door opened and River could see Aliya grinning.

"Okay, Doctor, she's coming! And I think you're right, so do it now!" The strangely eyed woman called back into the TARDIS.

River frowned a little as she got closer, for the box was already beginning to dematerialise.

"Come on River, you don't want to miss it!" Aliya urged the other woman, stretching her hand out. River sprinted and got a firm grasp on Aliya's hand before launching herself forward and into the TARDIS just as the box fully dematerialised.

River's armed pursuers stopped when they saw she was no longer there, and gave each other confused and angry looks.

* * *

River and Aliya tumbled slightly as the door shut and the TARDIS tipped with flight. Laughing, they regained their balance and grinned at each other.

River turned to flash a large smile at the Doctor, and quickly went up onto the console platform. "Thank you, Sweetie." She said gratefully.

"It seems it's practically my job now; getting you out of trouble." He joked.

"And vice versa, I believe." River retorted. "So…what are we doing this time? Asgard? You've been promising!"

The Doctor ran the name through his head and pulled out a memory. "What about a picnic there? The three of us, what could be better?" He suggested.

River smiled, pleased. "I'll get changed then! See you in a tick!" She walked up the stairs to go to the wardrobe, sashaying her hips as she went. The Doctor was left staring after her with a transfixed expression.

"You are _such _a man!" Aliya exclaimed, causing him to turn abruptly to her.

"What do you mean?" He asked indignantly.

"One sway of the hips, and you're wrapped around her little finger!" Aliya taunted him, spinning past him and around the console with a grin on her face.

"Am not!" He protested.

She raised an eyebrow. "Are too."

"Am not!"

"Yes, you are!"

"No!"

"Yes."

"No!"

"Um…yes."

The pointless argument went on for some minutes.

"You are."

"I am not-"

"What are you two arguing about now?" River asked with amusement as she descended the stairs again, now wearing a loose, white cotton shirt buttoned up the front and dark trousers.

"Who wears the pants in your relationship," Aliya said simply.

"Ah, well it's best not to bring that one up…" River nodded knowingly, "You know how defensive he gets."

"True…" Aliya agreed thoughtfully.

The Doctor was looking between them in disbelief. "But…but you can't just gang up on me like this! I'm the Doctor, the last Time Lord of Gallifrey, one of the most feared beings in the cosmos, I will not be ganged up on by women!"

"Oh, we really are in the early days, aren't we?" River smiled fondly. "Bless."

The Doctor pouted like a child.

"So how about that picnic?" Aliya suggested quickly, but couldn't get rid of the smile on her face.

* * *

"This is beautiful…" Aliya sighed as she took in the scenery around their picnic blanket.

It was very picturesque in an Earthern sort of way, with more outwardly spectacular wonders of nature.

The grass was green with a tinge of teal at the end of every piece, and the trees were far enough apart that it was not a forest, and didn't have a crowed feel, but close enough that they weren't just random trees. It had an almost orchard-like feel to it.

Their picnicking spot was on a small hill, which let them view even more of the beautiful planet.

The food was delicious, with sandwiches, fish fingers and custard, bacon and egg pie (a favourite of River's), and cake for dessert, though thankfully, not made by Aliya this time. The Doctor had given her a smirk regardless, letting her know that he reminded the incident clearly.

As expected, he was the only one who went anywhere near the fish fingers and custard, though Aliya did dip her finger in the latter and decide she liked it by itself.

Also as expected, it was not long before the Doctor and River began flirting with each other extensively. Aliya quickly decided that whether they had intended it or not – and she thought they probably hadn't – it was probably her cue to leave.

"I'm going to go for a walk," She announced.

"Alright, have fun! Stay out of trouble." The Doctor had told her obliviously.

River had merely waved, and Aliya winked at her while the Doctor's back was turned, causing the older looking woman to laugh heartily.

Aliya wandered off down the hill, her bare feet padding into the soft grass as she ran, her green summer dress dancing behind her. She examined everything with a great deal of interest, occasionally doing what the Doctor did and licking something to get a better idea of what it was like. She didn't find she cared for it much, and thought she would go back to using her other senses.

The childlike wonder that often filled her in moments like these caused her to grin and run like someone so much younger and lighter hearted, and for a while she forgot her worries in the surreal beauty of the alien land.

* * *

"So, Doctor Song…what did you do this time to need my rescuing?" The Doctor asked with a sly grin. The time travelling pair were lying on the picnic blanket, both on their sides so as to be able to face the other.

"I annoyed someone with a bad temper, isn't that always the case?" River said vaguely.

"I suppose so." He said. "Does it ever occur to you to merely stay out of trouble?"

River leaned forward slightly. "Does the same thing ever occur to you?"

"Never."

"Exactly…trouble is more fun. And generally trouble means you'll turn up sooner or later too."

"So…" The Doctor said slowly, his smile cheeky. "Do you get into trouble a lot?"

River ran her fingers along his bowtie and flashed him a devilish smile.

"Spoilers." She said in a sultry tone, moving her face forward again so that they were a hair's breadth away from each other. The Doctor's gaze was intense in the way his eyes held so much as he looked at her, something that made River's heart beat a little faster, and had it not been him, she would have been completely mortified.

River closed the miniscule gap between them and pressed her lips against his. Despite appearing to have complete knowledge of what was going on, the Doctor jumped when they made contact. River smiled against his lips with amusement, and felt relief flood through her as he very quickly recovered and began kissing her back with childlike enthusiasm. She could sense the fact that his confidence was a little low, but she figured it was probably still early days for him.

The Doctor now had it confirmed in his mind. River Song was a _very _good kisser. He had had many younger companions, and not that he had kissed a lot of them, but those whom he had, they were younger, and generally less sure of themselves and less skilled, due to less experience.

River Song was not a girl, she was a mature woman who had – if her constant teases about different boyfriends held even an ounce of truth – definitely been around enough to pick up a lot of skills. He ignored the slight jealousy stirring in his stomach at the thought of other men getting to kiss River, and concentrated on making sure she would remember _this _one in particular for a long time.

Remembering that he had somehow upset her last time he had met her, he decided to try and make it up to her. However, all thoughts of apologies were pushed out of his mind when he made the mistake of thinking about her hair.

Dear Rassilon, one should never get him started about her hair. It was so bouncy and light and curly, and so damn tempting. Well, everything was out the window now. What was the worst that could happen?

He slid his fingers along her shoulder, up her neck and into her extraordinary hair. His fingers played with it endlessly, feeling the softness he had always wondered about. She definitely seemed to enjoy it; she began to return the favour by gently pulling on his dark hair as their lips continued in their dance, not having stopped for a breath yet. The Doctor didn't need much, and somehow River seemed to be able to take breaths in through her nose while kissing him.

_Does she really have that much experience? _The Doctor wondered. _That must have taken a long time to perfect…_

He only hoped that the majority of the kissing she had done was with him. Romance was not his strong point, but with River it was most definitely fun, and had a certain mystery to it. Perhaps she would help him in this, one of his weaker areas of expertise.

River pulled away, and while he was a little disappointed, he could not find himself a little glad, as if it had progressed much further, his small amount of confidence would have dropped considerably.

"It's still reasonably early days for you," River said with a smile. "I don't want you blushing and stammering." She winked and pulled away from him to lie on her back and stare at the sky.

The Doctor watched her, speechless for a moment due to her implications, before doing the same.

"I think it's definitely a good thing Aliya happened to go for a walk," He said eventually. "She was watching last time. She seems to need to mind her own business a little sometimes."

"Actually, she has a lot more tact than you give her credit for," River corrected him evenly. "She went on that walk for the precise purpose of leaving us alone. And that's not the first time she's done something like that."

"How do you know she did it on purpose?" The Doctor objected disbelievingly.

"Never question the secrets of women, Doctor, unless you like the taste of disappointment. There are some things men will never know." River chuckled at his confused expression.

* * *

**Until next time,**

**-MayFairy :)**


	32. Howland Island: Historical Fact

"The twenty-first century? What for?" River asked in confusion, looking almost repulsed by the idea. They had run into a younger River during a short visit to the galactic market, and taken her away with them.

"Shopping," Aliya said happily. River noted that the Doctor looked considerably glum about the prospect. The irony was that it made her more entertained.

"I'm guessing it was your idea?" River said with a chuckle. Aliya made a confirming noise as she piloted the controls to the 21st century, giving River directions so the younger woman could help, and smirking at the Doctor who was sulking on the bottom step leading to the door.

Once they had landed, they made their way down the steps to face the Doctor and look down on him.

"Oh come on," The Time Lady chided him, "It won't kill you!"

"You've got no proof of that, Aliya, for all we know, we might be eaten by a giant fish the moment we step outside of the TARDIS! Granted, it is rather unlikely, especially since we've almost definitely landed on dry land, but anything can happen you know! And I might get strangled by a stray coat hanger, or swamped by one of those pesky sales assistants…shopping is dangerous!" He said indignantly, his speech pausing.

Aliya raised an eyebrow while River stared.

"Finished?" Aliya asked simply.

"Yes, I think so," He muttered vaguely, and grudgingly allowed Aliya to drag him out of the door onto the 2011 London street.

"You could buy a fez," Aliya suggested as a peace offering, and he immediately brightened.

"Brilliant, love a fez! A red one though, I don't want to end up with some rubbish colour, like green, yuck!" The Doctor said with a thoughtful frown. "Can you imagine how terrible a green fez would be?"

With thoughts of fezzes dominant in his mind, he wandered forward enough so that River would subtly ask Aliya the question poking at her mind. "What's a fez, and why are you letting him buy one?" She had sensed that a fez was not a good thing in the slightest.

Aliya smiled knowingly. "River, have you ever practised shooting your gun at hats?"

"No, why?" River frowned.

"Because starting today, you're going to get a lot of practice." Aliya told the other woman with a smirk.

* * *

Aliya browsed through the various racks as she searched for something pretty but practical, as wearing dresses wasn't always the most practical idea when one ran with the Doctor. River was looking around the whole store with interest as she eyed the primitive cataloguing equipment and the ancient way everything was done.

Aliya caught the younger woman staring and tapped the sceptical and wide-eyed woman on the shoulder.

"First trip into the past?" She guessed.

River nodded. "I've seen the future, but this is just strange, everything is so different and old…"

"Think of it as a history lesson," Aliya said. "You want to be an archaeologist, don't you?"

"How did you-" River looked surprised before an idea seemed to hit her. She eyed the other blonde with faint amusement. "Let me guess…spoilers?"

"Always." Aliya smiled and went back to the clothing racks.

River wandered to near the counter in hope of getting a closer look at the weird tech, only to find the Doctor trying on various goggle-like items from a strange manually spinning stand full of different styles of the items that looked like a kind of protective eyewear. She did not know they were merely sunglasses.

"Doctor?" She asked with a frown.

He turned around to face her, a pair of aviators covering his eyes. He looked like a rock and roll star from several decades back.

"River Song, how can I help?" He said happily, cheerful for someone who had not been keen on the idea of shopping. She shoved any troubled thoughts out of her mind and smiled charmingly at him.

"Are these primitive ultra violet protection contacts?" River asked as she pulled a pair out and slipped them on.

"Got it in one!" He said proudly.

"While I'm sure they are severely lacking in the efficiency department, they do have a sort of style to them…" She noted as she looked at herself in the small mirror on top of the spinning holder.

"River Song, agreeing to my fashion choices…I could get used to this," He said, eyeing her with approval.

River did not understand what he meant, so merely ignored it.

* * *

The deserted beach howled with the strong wind blowing everything around the way it liked. Another noise added to the mix of nature's sound, a wheezing and grinding racket that came accompanied by the gradual appearance of a blue box.

It sat upon the sand grandly, with the words 'Police Public Call Box' printed above the panelled wooden door, which promptly opened.

Three people came out one after another, and the second one to leave immediately exclaimed loudly before returning back into the box.

River and the Doctor watched Aliya go back through the door, both already appropriately dressed for their cold and windy environment, with the Doctor in his classic tweed, and River wearing a dark rose coloured jacket that was thick and warm. The two of them shared a triumphant smile.

Eventually Aliya returned, now wearing a brown coat, a white scarf that was wound around her neck and still so obscenely long that it dangled down past her knees, and a beanie. The Doctor eyed the scarf with a strange expression.

"Where did you get that?" He asked in an almost angry tone.

"The wardrobe…" Aliya replied slowly as she watched him. "Why…did it belong to someone you knew? I just picked it because it was next to yours…"

"It was Romana's," The Doctor replied quietly, looking away. River watched the strange connection between the two as Aliya's face fell and was hit with obvious sadness.

"Oh…" The woman wearing the scarf in question murmured, but eventually looked up. "I don't think she'd mind." She said lamely, her voice quiet.

The Doctor pushed his mourning aside and gave her a cheerful grin. "Of course she wouldn't, Romana was many things – both good and bad - but she was never petty. That scarf will definitely keep you warm, and she'd be glad that someone's making use of it."

Aliya and River weren't fooled for a minute but were both grateful for the subject change.

River, who had known the Doctor for a while at her point in time, wished she knew more about the two of them, and just how long they had known each other. Some of the things they mentioned went over her head, and times like this, she understood what they were referring to but not how it related to Aliya. She supposed she would just have to wait, such was how their lives worked.

The Doctor's eyes wandered up to Aliya's head and noticed the beanie which the scarf had stopped him from seeing before. The beanie was purple with a white pompom on top, and it had triangular flaps that hung over her ears, another pompom on the end of each. He raised an eyebrow and began chuckling heartily. River followed his gaze and also joined in with his laughter.

"What…is that?" He asked Aliya, who was watching the laughing couple with annoyed confusion.

"It's a hat. A warm hat," She replied uneasily, not happy that they found it so amusing. "It keeps my ears warm."

"Yes, but it's so…Earthern toddler," The Doctor told her slowly, glancing over at River, who chuckled.

"As if you're one to talk about headwear!" She reprimanded him playfully, but didn't stop giggling. "He's right though, it does look funny on you."

"I'm not a child!" Aliya retorted indignantly.

"No, of course not." River assured her quickly. Aliya looked briefly appeased. "But you look like one!" River was unable to resist saying it, and she and the Doctor couldn't stop themselves from again erupting into laughter. The Time Lady rolled her eyes and huffed, turning away from them and walking down the beach away from them and the TARDIS, her sturdy boots helpful in walking through the damp sand.

She looked around the landscape as she walked, holding the scarf up so that it didn't trail across the sand and get filthy. It was like an English seaside, where there was a beach, but it was cold and windy, taking away half of the appeal. However, unlike an English beach, the water was actually a pretty blue, and not a queer brown-grey. The scene was rather beautiful in a forlorn and abandoned way, and made Aliya experience a sort of melancholy that somehow pleased her.

"Masochist," She muttered to herself.

The Doctor and River eventually caught up to her of course, and she didn't fail to notice their joined hands as they walked, or smile slightly at it. Her male friend brought his free arm around Aliya's shoulders once he was walking alongside her.

"I'll play nice now, I promise," He said to her seriously. "You look very cute."

"Cute?" Aliya shot him a horrified look.

"Well, yes, in a sort of adorable puppy dog way," He explained. She huffed again in indignation but decided to let it go.

"Good girl," River coaxed jokingly, and it set her and the Doctor off again.

"You two are ridiculous," Aliya told them as the trio walked down the shore line.

"Oh, but it's much more fun that way." River grinned.

Aliya couldn't be grumpy any longer. "I agree."

The atmosphere was light hearted once again, and they soon had a competition to see who could build the best sand sculpture. The Doctor won. Knowing him, Aliya thought that he had probably found a school for it somehow and befriended the teacher until he was their star pupil.

"Cheater," She grumbled as she watched his arrogant celebration some distance away.

"It's not my fault I meet people who teach me skills," He said defensively. "If you'd been more well travelled in your youth..."

"Oh, shut up."

River's sandcastle was the next best. "My parents took me on a trip to the Boeshane Peninsula when I was six…four weeks there and I became a pro."

"Boeshane Penisula?" The Doctor asked questioningly. River laughed as she kicked his sandcastle over. "Oi! Nobody kicks over my sandcastle, and lives to tell the tale." He warned the archaeologist. "Not even you, Doctor Song."

"Bite me," She challenged.

"That could _definitely _be arranged," he flirted, making a lunge for her. River laughed at him as she dodged out of his way. He used this to his advantage as he tried to then demolish her own sandcastle, but she was quick to put herself in his path. This was, of course, what he had been planning the whole time. He grabbed her by the waist and spun her around so that suddenly he was close to the sandcastle and not her. With one swift backwards kick, it fell into crumbling pieces.

"I hate you," River told him, glaring.

"No, you don't," He replied easily, and she had to smile back at him, unable to stay annoyed with him for long.

Aliya was sitting down about fifty metres away from the couple, attempting to shape her mountain of gritty slush into anything mildly artistic or resembling some object or being. She was not having very much luck. The blonde looked up briefly to see the Doctor and River with locked lips. She smirked.

"Get a room!" Aliya called out. "There are apparently children around!" The Doctor and River broke apart to stare at her and began laughing, in hysterics at her words, clinging to each other desperately to stay upright as they bellowed and chuckled with laughter. Aliya stood up and brushed the sand off her hands and onto her jeans. "Come on you two lovebirds, let's keep walking."

The three of them cheerily continued down the beach, until River stopped, causing the Doctor and Aliya to also halt.

"What's that?" She said with a frown as she stared at a dark haze on the sand in the distance. The other two followed the line of her gaze but also could not identify it. The trio walked towards it quickly. It was a piece of metal, with a triangular shape, and the longest side a bit over a foot long.

The Doctor bent and picked it up, brushing the sand off it and turning it over in his hands as though he hoped that the answer would appear if he did so. "Impossible to tell what it is with this little to go on, but I'd bet my hat – that is, if you didn't keep shooting them, River – that it's part of a vehicle."

"What year is it?" Aliya asked suddenly, gazing out at the sea with seemingly little interest of the object in his hands.

The Doctor shrugged and took a large and somewhat unattractively over exaggerated sniff at the air.

"1938. No, 37. No, 38. You know what, not sure, but definitely one of the two. I think we're somewhere in the Pacific," He estimated and River smiled fondly, never quite having stopped being surprised by his ability to calculate the date and place so accurately using only his senses.

"Close enough. I was only wondering what kind of technology we might be dealing with. I hardly think it would have changed much over the one year difference." Aliya said as she shoved her hands into her pockets to keep them warm.

"Yes, well I'd definitely like to find the rest of whatever this is part of," The Doctor told the two women, and Aliya's eyes lit up.

"Exploring?" She asked, raising an eyebrow in question.

"What else?" He replied smoothly.

Aliya grinned and clapped her hands together once happily before she began to head up the beach, towards the deep forest that seemed to take up most of the island they were on. River and the Doctor smiled at her enthusiasm before linking their arms and following her up the dunes.

"Is it sad that even though knowing our luck this is almost definitely going to lead to our lives being threatened, I've grown to love it?" Aliya asked them worriedly as they tramped through the outskirts of the forest.

"Of course not!" River assured her, "Why do you think I stay with him? It's not for the inaccurate destinations and bad fashion sense, I'll tell you that much," She laughed. The Doctor looked offended. "I'm _teasing, _sweetie." She patted him comfortingly on the chest and straightened his bowtie delicately.

"Good, because I'll have you know that I have a brilliant sense of direction-" The Doctor told them grandly, before turning around and walking straight into a tree. He hit the ground with a thud, and an equal noise throbbing through his head. The Time Lord cracked his wary eyes open to see River leaning over him slightly. Nearby, he could hear Aliya's hearty laughter, and thought he could see her doubling over from the force of it.

"You alright, my love?" River asked him with a taunting smile.

"Never better," He told her brashly before jumping to his feet and continuing on as though nothing had happened. His eyes fell on Aliya, who upon seeing him laughed even harder. All he could say was, "Really? It was that funny?"

"You - you-" She gasped for air, "You walked into a tree!" He rolled his eyes and quickly her laughs turned into sniggers. "You know, I think that was the best moment of my entire lives."

"I very much doubt that."

"You're failing to grasp how magnificently quickly you fell, like a log," Aliya shook her head, grinning. He chose to ignore her and the three of them instead began to resume their trek through the jungle, following a rough path. It was a little while before the Doctor spoke again.

"I don't suppose either of you have noticed what's right in front of, below and behind us?"

"Oh, you mean the path?" River said innocently.

"Yes-"

"And the fact that it exists means that it had to have been made by someone here before us," Aliya added.

"Well, exactly, but-"

"Which then in turn means that humanity has to have reached this island to have done so, and that we obviously aren't the first to come here, and it is possible that someone is still here?" River finished. "And that if that piece of metal belonged to a vechicle that it might be theirs?"

"That's what you were referring to, yes?" Aliya asked the Doctor with a smile that contained the same mocking innocence of River's.

"Well, yes. Nice to know that you're paying attention," He said uneasily, clearly taken aback by the fact they had noticed the same thing he had. It wasn't until he turned around that River and Aliya exchanged a silent hi-five of triumph when he wasn't looking.

The three of them continued to walk and exchange playful banter - which had a tendency to always end up coming back to Aliya's hat - as they pushed aside various types of greenery and bush as they followed the path. Their problem did not surface until the path suddenly split at a fork, leading in two completely different directions.

"Ah," The Doctor said simply as he looked between the two forks and clearly no plan on how to solve the problem.

"Well, we have to cover both sides, or else our search won't be thorough," River deducted sensibly, "We're going to have to split up." Aliya voiced her agreement.

"Splitting up never seems to work very well for me," The Doctor said vaguely, and River planted her hands on her hips.

"Well, if you've got a better plan, dear, we'd love to hear it." She challenged. The Doctor ground his teeth and said nothing. "Just as I thought. Then the only matter left to sort is who is going to go alone, and who will take which fork."

"I'll go," Aliya said immediately, focusing back on River. "I'll take the right fork, you two take the left."

"Aliya…" The Doctor began warningly. Despite knowing she was only two hundred years his younger, the fact that she was the only other surviving member of his species made him incredibly protective, and he never really wanted her to leave his sight, especially when there was potential danger to be found around any corner. After all, if she died, suddenly he would be alone in the universe again, and he knew that he would not be able to bear such a terrible thing after being given such hope.

Aliya did not look pleased by his silent plotting and obvious rejection of the idea. "And don't you dare try and get all fatherly and over-protective of me," She said sharply, her head whipping to look at him with determination. "It's petty and ridiculous. I'm old enough to take care of myself."

"Are you sure about this?" River asked her while ignoring the Doctor's fruitless arguments.

Aliya nodded firmly. "I'll be fine. Like I said, I can take care of myself, and I'll have this." She held up her purple sonic screwdriver. She grinned at River. "Besides, it means that you two can get up to whatever romantic and lovey-dovey nonsense you want to, and I don't have to watch."

River smirked and shot a flirtatious gaze at the still slightly brooding Doctor. "That is true," She said, and shot a highly seductive and suggestive wink at the Doctor, who blushed despite everything, "It never is _quite _the same when you know someone is watching. Then again, depending on the circumstances, it can be rather thrilling."

The Doctor and Aliya both frowned, the former with concern and the latter with distaste.

"See, now I've made you both blush." River chuckled. "Unfortunately I can only help one of you with that. See you later, Aliya." She led the only mildly reluctant Doctor down the left fork and the pair soon disappeared around a corner and out of Aliya's sight. The Time Lady shook her head and had to laugh before wandering down the right fork of the path by herself.

Despite standing by her decision, it was now rather lonely and boring without any company. She walked and walked with no avail, and not even her surroundings seemed to change significantly. It was just endless trees and endless green.

What if it ended up being all for nothing and they never found any more of the metal object?

* * *

The Doctor and River walked along the path, teasing each other with hints and tracers of spoilers before refusing to give any more information.

"You, Doctor Song, are impossible," The Doctor told her in a low tone as he bent his head in towards hers. "But luckily for you, that's my favourite word." He kissed her, stopping their progress as they both halted to waste time doing something far more enjoyable than walking.

River was not one to complain, and pulled unceasingly on his jacket lapels as their lips met and fought with each other. His hands placed themselves tentatively on her waist. It was the first time he had initiated a kiss between them, and he couldn't help but be nervous. For that reason, when she began to take control of the kiss, he let her without hesitation. He liked her confidence and how she always seemed to know exactly what he liked.

It took them several minutes to finally decide to save it for a more appropriate time and place. The two laughed heartily at their teenage-like antics and continued down the path.

* * *

Aliya kicked at the flattened grass below her feet and sighed. Her fingers absently travelled to the ridiculously long scarf around her neck and stroked it. The knowledge that it was Romana's had been at first unsettling, especially considering how she was in her cousin's place now that she was also travelling in the TARDIS. Wearing the same clothing was too much. At the same time, though, it made her feel closer to Romana.

After nearly ten minutes of walking, Aliya came across a strange rock face that completely blocked the path and went across for as far as she could see. She found her foot tapping in frustration (she tried to ignore the fact that it was a four beat rhythm, because the implications were better not thought about) while she considered her options. Impatiently, she whipped out the yellow sonic screwdriver and ran it over the entire rock area. Suddenly, a portion of the rock slid back to reveal a darkened tunnel behind, just begging to be entered and explored.

The idea of going back and finding the Doctor and River first didn't even enter her head before she pulled out her extra-large lamp she had used in America. Hoping it would be enough to fight off the darkness, Aliya slowly walked through the tunnel. When the lamp did its job of keeping the darkness away, and did it well, Aliya relaxed considerably and her confidence built.

Time to see what was down there…

* * *

The Doctor and River had been walking for nearly twenty minutes before they began to notice that it appeared that some of the trees in the distance looked disfigured and bent.

"What's happened to this place?" River asked with a frown as the scenery became more distorted as they continued.

"Hard to say, but its possible something crashed here…" The Doctor trailed off. "Something like that." He said as he noticed a large shape in the distance that could thoroughly support his evidence. They hurried towards it, and River began scanning it with her PDA and getting strange readings.

"It's completely terrestrial, in its correct time zone, yet it's got some weird background white information." River deducted while the Doctor was looking over the aircraft with a strange expression.

"Well, it's a plane, River, a 1930's plane, I could have told you that," He said as he ducked under one of the wings to get to the other side. "What do you mean by white information?"

"Well, you know, like white noise, only its information and there's no noise. I can't decode any of it, though." River explained.

"Ah!" The Doctor exclaimed loudly as he spotted something on the tail. He immediately reached inside his jacket to pull out the piece of metal that had gotten them started on the entire search in the first place.

"What is it, what have you found?" River asked before beginning to follow him.

"You know, I always was rather rubbish at jigsaw puzzles…" The Doctor was saying randomly, his back to her as he was doing something with his hands.

"You're talking nonsense." River said irritably.

He ignored her. "…but even I picked up the basics." He stepped away and flashed an arrogant smile as he held the piece of metal in place, which perfectly completed the semi-circle tail of the plane.

"Well that's lovely dear, but what does it mean?" River asked with a raised eyebrow and hands on her hands.

He pulled the piece away and put it back in his pocket. "You see, River, that's your problem. You have this 51st century mind that doesn't know enough about my favourite times zones. This plane is a Lockheed Model 10 Electra. This plane…it's famous."

River waited patiently.

"Aren't you going to ask what it's famous for?" He said awkwardly , looking a little put out by her patient silence.

River rolled her eyes. "Evidently dear, you obviously had every intention of telling me. But if you really want me to: What is the plane famous for?" She sighed but couldn't help herself smiling fondly all the same.

"This plane is a famous model because it was the type of airliner chosen to be used for an around-the-world expedition…but that isn't the interesting part." The Doctor explained, taking a breath before continuing. "The interesting part is the fact that this isn't just the same model…this is the actual plane. The actual plane that went around the world…nearly."

"How do you know it's the actual plane? Surely they all look alike." River said sceptically as she examined the side of the plane with curiosity.

"I was at its take-off, centuries ago, in my…second incarnation, I think. I wore bowties back then too. Trust me, I'd know this plane anywhere." He patted the metal fondly. "Because you see, I've figured it out, now."

"Figured what out?" River asked blankly.

"Where we are, what the plane is doing here. I only knew that we were somewhere in the Pacific, but now I know for sure where we are, because once the idea was there, the smell could confirm it," The Doctor said.

"Where are we then? What's the plane doing here?" River asked impatiently, quite contrasted to how she had been acting only a minute before.

"We're on Howland Island. And as for your second question, well, I lied, because I don't really know why the plane is here yet. Quite the opposite, really. I know why the plane _shouldn't _be here." The Doctor said uneasily.

"Why shouldn't it be here? What's so significant about this place? It looks fairly ordinary to me." River took another look around but could see nothing extraordinary about her surroundings.

"Because the reason this model is famous is because it was used for an incredibly famous around-the-world expedition, by an even more famous female pilot named Amelia Earhart."

River shrugged off whatever he was trying to imply. "So what? Someone stole her plane and crashed here? What's so strange about that?" She inquired.

"No one stole it, River. This plane should not be here, because it should be at the bottom of the ocean, with its pilot!" The Doctor told her.

"Why?" River felt interest pull at her, the entire situation very intriguing. "Hang on…before when you were talking about it going around the world, you said _nearly."_

"Because this is Howland Island. This is the island that is famous because it's the island that Amelia Earhart never reached." He said slowly, watching as understanding took control of his companion.

"What do you mean by that? Never reached…do you mean…"

"She disappeared. Somewhere close to here, but before she got here, she disappeared along with her plane, never to be seen again. She's one of the most famous missing people in the entire history of the Earth." The Doctor clarified.

"Oh. So how can her plane be here if she never reached this island?"

"That's exactly my point, River. Theories go around for centuries about what happened to her, but one part of the story is always the same and completely supported: She never made it to this island. She disappeared before she got here," The Doctor continued, now pacing as he rambled. River knew to simply wait and let him talk to himself. "But now, suddenly this plane is here, which completely contradicts every ounce of fact in this entire case! How is it possible that she got to this island? Because clearly, she did." He gestured wildly with his hands.

"I don't know, Doctor. But we're going to find out," River said determinedly.

* * *

Aliya's hand clutched the lamp firmly, afraid of dropping it and breaking it for fear of being submerged in complete darkness.

There was however a strange tint linking into the darkness, a pale red one that was entering along with light. Soon she did not need the lamp and she put it back in her pocket. The walls were rock, very bumpy and irregular rock, given strange colours by the tint of the underground cavern.

Aliya could see something that looked as though it could be a door, and used her sonic to open it. She inched in slowly with tense movements but relaxed when she found the room was empty. It looked like some kind of control room for something, for if the many knobs and contraptions attached to the naturally grown benches were not some kind of controls, she would let the Doctor wear a fez for a whole month before letting River shoot it.

She didn't want to touch anything until she knew more about the place, so she continued to the other side of the room and opened a door that was there. This place too was made of red rock, only the new room looked more like some kind of lab or infirmary.

"Hello?" Aliya called out, thinking immediately afterwards that it was probably the stupidest thing she had done in weeks.

Unsurprisingly, there was no answer. She quickly realised that the lights weren't on – and it explained the creeping feeling she had had along her spine – and she looked around the room for some kind of switch before rushing to the wall and pressing the necessary button. The room brightened considerably and she could see around a lot better.

Turning around, Aliya jumped when she saw the unconscious woman sprawled and secured to a diagonal platform in one of the five alcoves in the room. Each alcove was protected by a large sheet of glass or something similar. Aliya rushed towards the occupied hatch but was unable to open or remove the glass even with the sonic.

She bit her lip and studied the woman while thinking of another plan.

The woman was quite good-looking, with strong features and good muscle tone on her limbs (what you could see of them, she wore long trousers and a snug coat), and Aliya guessed – despite not being good at judging human age – she would be in her early forties. Her hair was cropped closely around her head, with fashionable curls mostly covered by the headgear that Aliya did not have the knowledge to recognise as a pilots hat from the era she was in.

"I'll get you out…I promise." She told the woman who for obvious reasons could not hear. She studied the wall area around the alcove again and discovered a small panel with many words – translated by the TARDIS, of course - and buttons on it. After running her fingers over the controls of the panel at lightning speed, her efforts were met with no result. Just as she got out her sonic and began to use it on the panel, her feelings of hopelessness vanished as the alcove containing the woman glowed and Aliya exclaimed excitedly.

However, a sound from behind her caused her to cautiously turn off the sonic so that the device's noise would not interfere with her listening. The sounds were now unmistakeable as heavy footsteps approaching her, and Aliya closed her eyes and took a deep breath before turning around to face the other occupant of the room.

A large humanoid with intelligent eyes leered at her menacingly and a gasp of shock and terror escaped Aliya's lips as she looked desperately for an escape route to get away from the terrible creature. She would have tried to assume it was innocent had it not had a very clear intent of hostility.

In the end, the only place her efforts had got her was backed into a corner, an even less helpful place to be than where she had been to begin with.

"Please…I can help you, I promise! Hurting me won't get you anywhere…" She pleaded, but the creature did not even consider her words, though she could tell by looking into its eyes that it had understood.

She hesitantly shut her eyes as the creature closed in.


	33. Howland Island: Doppelganger Dangers

**I know...it's been like, 6 weeks, and I'm SO sorry. **

**Basically I had my Grade 6 piano exam (and those of you who know about musical grades will know that Grade 6 is quite difficult and complicated), so I had to practice hardcore for that, which meant I didn't have any time to write. **

**Also, no matter how good I might be at them, adventure arcs take FREAKING AGES TO WRITE. They are so much harder than non-adventure/fluff/angst scenes!**

**But ah well. At least the wait is finally over!**

**Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter: Kuro-miko (I think you find there are other stories with over 400 reviews, for example, Brownbug's 'Return to the Valiant', which I recommend, but thanks for the compliment regardless), ZackAttack96, Emma (Thanks so much! As for Aliya and Jack, well, you'll have to wait and see, but I promise awesomeness flirting and more!), Allebasii (nice to have you back on board), MainPeet, jock wizard, nat-nav, ilovemedia18, JessieDear13, toavoidconversation (just another thank you for the AMAZING review, XD), prettygal456, Caligo Origuu, Akiza1, Simpa007, goblindreamer, Doctor-River, SuperFunkyGirl1, Mrs 11th, padmay97, and Lee. **

**You're all awesome for reviewing! I got 20, which was great! Still a slight dip from that whopping 26 I managed to hit before, but that's what I get for not updating sooner I suppose... **

**NOTE: River in my story is VERY different to the canon River. Her character is the same, her parents are the same, and her species is the same. However, that is where the similarities end. She will have nothing to do with Demon's Run at all. Despite Let's Kill Hitler practically being all about her, she will not appear in any Series 6 episodes that I may AU in the future, her appearances in TIA/DotM are the only ones. Don't think of this as a bad thing, just think of her as a River with a guessed past, like the ones everyone had to write before Series 6 because we had no choice. It's still River. **

**So, this chapter reveals the aliens that we are dealing with, there isn't a lot of Aliya, but that's fine...there is a little bit of Doctor/River mentions, but this is mostly a very plot-centred chapter. Next chapter I hope to finish the arc, but we'll have to see. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The creature raised a weapon and pointed it directly at Aliya, who waited in horror with her eyes shut for something to happen. Growing impatient and wary at the darkness behind her own eyelids, she parted them just in time to see a ray of energy leave the weapon in the creatures hand and feel it hit her.

She dropped to the floor silently while the creature looked on with its small beady eyes and a smug leer.

* * *

"We need to find Aliya, see if she's discovered anything and tell her what's going on. Whatever is messing with history, I don't think I'm going to like meeting it." The Doctor decided before abruptly turning around and starting off down the path from which they had come. "Come along, River!"

"But if this thing is messing with history, why, and how are we going to stop them? Because from my experience with you, they never listen." River mused as she followed him.

"Yes, but we've got to try. You never know, whatever is happening here could be the reason history is the way it is-" The Doctor rambled as he walked briskly with River not far behind.

"I know." The blonde woman said.

He didn't hear her while talking to her and himself. "There is always a chance that they're not messing with history, they're making it." He stopped for a breath and River took her chance.

"Doctor, I know." She interrupted again, and this time he turned to look with her with innocent surprise with soon melted into understanding.

"Right." He said quietly. "Of course you do." He smiled gently but River could see a slight hint of flustered nerves beneath. "You're River Song, _brilliant _River Song," He said the words as though he was only just realising them for the first time. "You always know."

River smiled and smirked. "You know, if this is what you being young is going to be like, I think I could definitely get used to it."

She walked past him with her usual swing of the hips that also as usual left the Doctor momentarily gaping after her as she got further away. He frowned.

"Young?" He wondered aloud with confusion and irony before shaking it off and following her. They both paused in their path when they saw a figure on the path up ahead.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" It called with a female alto voice.

"Yes…" The Doctor said cautiously as he and River got closer.

The woman was dressed in long brown trousers and a warm tan jacket similar to River's. Her very short chestnut curls were a mess, mostly likely from the removal of the flying cap she held in her right hand.

"Who are you?" She asked slowly, appraising them with her serious hazel eyes and seeming wary of every move they made.

"I'm the Doctor, this is River, tell me, you haven't seen a blonde woman with a very long scarf and a silly hat on, have you?" The Doctor said quickly, gesturing to both himself and River.

The woman frowned. "I'm sorry to have to say that I have not." She didn't sound particularly sorry.

"Oh." The Doctor looked disappointed for a few seconds before perking up. "Never mind, she'll turn up eventually, they always do."

River frowned as she turned to look at him. "Are you always this careless when it comes to the safety of your friends?"

"River, if I got worried every time a companion wandered off and got themselves into trouble, I would have died of a heart attack several centuries back, which for a man with more than one, would quite an achievement." The Doctor dismissed offhandedly. "Right now, there is something I'm more interested in finding out."

"And what's that? You're not making any sense, Doctor." The strange woman said with slight impatience. "I happen to not have any idea where I am, and I don't have time to waste by spending it with a rambling idiot in a bowtie of all the ridiculous things!"

"I know, I kept telling him not to wear it, but he insists," River agreed irritably.

"What's your name?" The Doctor asked the woman before the two females could get too far in insulting his clothing.

The brunette eyed him cautiously. "Amelia."

"Amelia, great name," The Doctor nodded excitedly.

"Doctor," River said quietly, but he wasn't listening.

"I knew a girl called Amelia once, wonderful girl," He continued, while Amelia watched the two of them with a bemused expression.

"Doctor!"

"I always envied her hair…"

"_Doctor!_"

The Doctor did not stop until River elbowed him and he flinched away from her as he began to pat his stomach soothingly where she had bruised it without sympathy. "Ow! River, was that necessary?"

"Yes, since you continue to insist on missing the obvious!" She retorted. "_Amelia_. Look at her, Doctor. I don't know anything about the 1930's but I think this one is pretty easy to work out."

The Doctor ran his eyes over Amelia, taking in her hair, unisex clothing and the flying cap. His eyes widened as he realised what River had been trying to tell him and a smile spread across his face.

"Oh!" He exclaimed. "Amelia…Amelia Earhart?" With the way he gazed at the woman, it was clear that he was a little starstruck by her presence.

Amelia shifted her weight and raised an eyebrow at his reaction. "Yes…you… know me?" She asked uneasily.

"Well," The Doctor shrugged bashfully, "I know _of _you. Never really got around to meeting you until now."

"Oh." Amelia nodded.

"What are you doing here?" River asked Amelia directly.

Amelia eyed the two of them. "I could ask you the same thing. I had a plane, and neither of you look like pilots."

The Doctor and River exchanged a look.

"Yes, well, we didn't come by plane, but that's not important anyway. Did you crash here?" The former asked the pilot.

"Yes," She said airily.

"What happened after that?"

"I don't see why it matters!" Amelia snapped. "Look, you two can try to figure out whatever you like. I can solve my own problems." She turned on her heel and walked away from them.

"Wait, Amelia, we can help!" The Doctor called uselessly as he and River tried to follow her.

"Leave me alone!" The 1930's woman yelled back angrily.

The two time travellers stopped and sighed with defeat and it wasn't until River shifted her footing and landed her boots into something sticky that their attention was distracted.

"Urgh." River grumbled as she pulled her boot up only to find the stringy substance coming with it. "What is this stuff? It doesn't look like sap."

The Doctor bent down by her foot and pulled some of the substance off onto his finger. "Interesting." He noted before taking a large lick of it off his finger.

"You're disgusting." River told him with distaste. "I'm not kissing you now, not with that having been in your mouth."

"You don't mean that," The Doctor said while analysing the substance thoughtfully.

"I do, actually." River argued, putting her hands on her hips.

"Fine," The Doctor said uncaringly as he was in the middle of getting somewhere in identifying the substance. "Some kind of morphic residue…River, you haven't seen any giant wasps around, have you?" River shot him a look. "No, of course you haven't, it's not like Vespiforms are the only species with the ability to shapeshift…but something has left this behind…"

"A shapeshifter?" River repeated for clarification.

"Apparently," He sniffed as he stood up again. "But it means that there's no way we can leave now. There's an alien on this island, and for all we know, it's hostile."

"And we don't know where Aliya is," River added, "For all we know, she's already run into it. And we can't just let Amelia wander off when there's some unknown alien around, especially if she is as important to history as you say."

"Yes, you're right, we should probably follow her," The Doctor agreed and they hurried after the pilot again. After several minutes they got close enough to call out to her. "Amelia!" She turned around and he slowed to a stop in front of her. "I know that you may think you don't need us, but believe me, you do."

"Oh really?" Her voice was sceptical and unfriendly, something that was puzzling to the Doctor in the sense that he had been at her plane's take off, and while he hadn't actually gotten to talk to her, she had seemed very warm, and had an almost completely different persona now.

The Doctor held his finger up directly in front of her face to be sure that the blob of morphic residue was undeniably in her line of vision. Amelia's brow furrowed in a frown.

"Do you know what this is?" He demanded seriously. She hesitated before answering the negative. "This is morphic residue, left behind by a shapeshifter."

"A shapeshifter." Amelia repeated flatly.

"Yes, as in a non-human, _alien _shapeshifter!" The Doctor told her. "Which, obviously, you know nothing about, therefore, you know have a very good reason for not wandering off on your own and staying with us instead."

Amelia thought about it for several seconds. "Alright. I suppose you two should lead on, then." She lingered behind them as they began to walk before following slowly.

"So, Amelia, do you think now you could tell us how you crashed and what you are doing here?" The Doctor called back.

"Your meddling will be the death of you, Doctor," Amelia's voice replied back, strangely low and distorted.

"What do you mean?" River asked, and gasped as she and the Doctor turned around just in time to see Amelia surrounded by a field of energy and her features changed while her entire body morphed into something larger, stronger, and much more terrifying.

The alien that now stood in Amelia's place was both tall and large around the waist, with a small, beady and hostile face deeply set in the bottom middle of a huge head in the shape of a partially flattened cone that was almost as large as its midsection. Its entire body was covered in suckers.

"I will see to it personally," The Zygon threatened menacingly. Its voice was a gurgling whisper.

"River, run!" The Doctor yelled as he grabbed her hand and turned her around so that she would run alongside him and away from the creature intent on killing them.

The alien hissed as it began to chase after them, and the two time travellers ran until they reached the fork again, this time taking the path Aliya had originally in hopes of finding her. They ran for several minutes, beginning to feel out of breath but unable to stop due to being pursued by a hostile extra-terrestrial.

They skidded to a halt when they turned a corner to find a large rock face blocking their path. Before the Doctor could even think about starting to panic, River dashed closer to him and began rummaging her hands through his jacket pockets, managing to find time to send him a flirtatious wink due to their proximity before pulling out his sonic and pointing it at the rock face in hope that something would happen.

When the rock began to slide back to reveal an opening, River found herself thinking that it may just have been the luckiest moment of her life, considering how much of a long shot the action had been. The two of them ran inside and quickly used the sonicked the rock shut. They were immediately submerged in complete darkness, but they concentrated on the more dominant pro of the situation, the fact that there was now a rock between them and the Zygon.

"Come on, we better get moving, the Zygons probably built this place, which means it will be able to get in rather quickly," The Doctor whispered in the dark, his hand searching in the darkness for hers.

"Doctor, that's my thigh!" River's voice protested as his hand missed the mark.

"Oh, right, sorry," He said in a fumbling voice that barely matched the fact that he didn't move his hand a single inch.

"No, you're not!" River replied as she grabbed his hand, rolling her eyes in the dark and she pulled him through the tunnel, both moving slowly and trying not to hit any walls.

As they walked, the Doctor became increasingly aware of River's hand settled so nicely in his own. In the dark, he felt as though his other senses were heightened, and he was left thinking about how sensual holding River's hand felt. She constantly seemed to have that effect on him, and he was struggling to find out how and why.

Not wanting to get his thoughts too off track, he immediately attached his attention to the red tinted light leaking into the passage as they went further on. They sonicked their way through a door they came to before walking through it into some strange kind of control room.

"Yes, definitely Zygons, I've seen this before, in Scotland," The Doctor murmured.

"Do you think Aliya came down here?" River asked curiously, looking around for any indication of their friend's presence but not seeing anything.

"I think there's a very high chance that she did, and an equally high chance that something went wrong…" The Doctor agreed with a vague tone in his voice. "She's obviously not in here, so we'll keep going." He pulled River across the floor and through a door that led them into a new room, one filled with glass holding cells stored in wall alcoves, and the two of them spotted two familiar females both trapped in individual alcoves.

"Aliya!" The Doctor exclaimed with surprise and worry as he rushed across to stand in front of the glass pane and look through it to check her over for injuries. River followed but directed her attention to the other female, who the Doctor spared only a glance for before looking back to the Time Lady. "And Amelia…" He muttered, "The real one, not the creepy Zygon pretending to be her."

"These Zygons…" River said questioningly as she walked around the room and surveyed it, "What are they? Aside from the obvious shapeshifting alien part. How does the technology work? Because shapeshifting is one thing…but to copy someone else's body with that amount of detail…"

"Oh, that…it's body-print technology, very clever, but only lasts two hours, which is always good for us because it means that they have to keep whoever they're impersonating alive so that they can renew it." The Doctor explained, looking over the holding alcoves with his sonic and looking frustrated. "Oh, it's no good, this is going to take too long. We're going to have to explore a bit and check that there's no one else around before we try anything. Getting caught isn't going to get us anywhere."

The Doctor and River left the room through a side door and began to cautiously tread through the underground caverns which seemed to be empty.

"Well, it looks empty enough, I think we could get away with it speed and some luck, what do you think, River?"

She didn't reply and he turned around to find her gone. Less than half a second before he began to panic, the sound of her voice stopped his hearts from beating too fast.

"Doctor…you better get in here." River called from through a door he had not noticed was there. He followed her voice and came into a room larger than any others they had passed through previously.

The ceiling was so high that two double decker buses could be stacked on top of each other, and they still wouldn't touch the top, and the room was at least the size of a sports field. In one corner, there was a large stack of huge barrels. Dominating the center and majority of the room was something inside a rectangle of railing outline, and after checking for Zygons, the Doctor and River went in for a closer look. Inside the railings was a great chasm where no light escaped, plunging down and into the depths of the Earth with no visible ending.

"What's down there? What could they want with whatever is down there?" River asked the Doctor as they both leaned on the rail and tried to look down.

"I don't know…but they might have records on it or something, or else why would they have computers over there?" The Doctor speculated, and indicated with his head across the room to the objects in question. They walked over to the computers, took one each and began frantically typing in search of information.

"No, I don't want to know about their mating program…ew! No, I want to know about the giant hole in the floor…" The Doctor told the computer in disgust, rambling as he searched the databanks.

"Doctor? What about this? _'Mission to retrieve Skarasen from under the earth: FAILED. Two units lost.'_" River asked, beckoning him over. The Doctor peered over her shoulder and his eyes widened.

"Of course…that's it! Zygons, they depend on the lactose fluid of Skarasen to survive, if their only Skarasen - at least, I'm assuming it's their only one, or else I don't know why else they would be so worried – is trapped somewhere that they can't reach it, then they'd be frantic, because they need it to survive…" The Doctor said, pacing around as he thought it over. He quickly looked at the computer again and River was sensible enough to get out of his way and let him take charge. "Yes, do you see, River? They're sending down ships to try and plant a transmat chip on the Skarasen to transport it back up here! It would seem that it isn't possible to fly back up, their pods can only sustain one trip…it's practically a suicide mission…"

"But why hasn't it worked?" River pressed him, and he was off again.

"Ah, that's an easy one, because if Zygons have a flaw, it's this: they can be rather clumsy, and while they are fast and vicious in a chase they not agile in ways of piloting, not for something as small and precise as this, especially." He explained.

"Then why have they got Amelia? Why not just kill her?" River inquired, and the Doctor frowned.

"I have honestly no idea, it's not like they need her or anyone else, humans can't help them retrieve a Skarasen, especially not from this timezone…" He speculated.

Sounds of heavy footsteps began to ring out through the large room, and realising that someone was about to enter, River and the Doctor scanned the room before quickly rushing over to the huge stack of barrels and hiding behind them.

Peering through the gaps between the barrels, they could see Amelia Earhart being led into the room, flanked by a Zygon either side.

"That must be the real Amelia," River guessed, taking in the more reserved way the woman moved and the shackles around her wrists.

"Yes, you can tell by the way she keeps looking around, she doesn't understand any of it," The Doctor agreed.

* * *

The Zygons led Amelia to the edge of the railing that surrounded the chasm.

"Could you manouver a flying vehicle through this rock formation?" One of them growled, and Amelia shot it a wary look before leaning over the rail to evaluate the opening in the rock.

"No." She said after a minute's thought, and turned to face the aliens with a resilient expression. "So could you let me go now?"

"Why would you not be able to complete the proposed task?" The second, larger Zygon questioned in a growling tone.

"No 'flying machine' is small enough to fit through there, that much is obvious!" Amelia told it patronisingly, clearly trying to use her knowledge over the Zygon.

"Our flying machines are compact and can easily clear the rocks on all sides."

"I don't believe that any flying machine could be that small." Amelia said haughtily. "Prove it."

The Zygons growled and pushed her through to the other side of the room, where they entered codes into a panel and a large door slid open to reveal a small spherical pod, only 2 metres in diameter. Amelia's eyes widened in awe as her gaze fell upon the pod so different from anything in her time or on her planet.

"This is the flying machine that will be used." The Zygons told her.

"This is a flying machine?" Amelia asked in a dazed voice, still staring at the pod like it was a mountain of gold. "How? If you want me to fly it, show me the inside, show me how to fly it!"

"Will you be able to travel to the bottom of the chasm and retrieve the creature we require? Will the machine and your skills be adequate?" The short Zygon pressed.

"Yes, of course I will," Amelia waved him off dismissively as she walked closer to the vehicle. "Just show me what to do."

The tall Zygon mumbled something to his counterpart in a different language that Amelia couldn't understand, and the shorter Zygon nodded.

"There is not enough room for a human and a Zygon to fit in a pod for giving instructions." He said, before giving an order. "Have the unit wearing the other female's bodyprint report here for giving pod flight instructions."

* * *

The Doctor and River watched Amelia and the Zygons anxiously from afar, but couldn't hear what they were saying. A section of the wall slide back to reveal a pod, which Amelia took to immediately, she was clearly awed by it. She was talking civilly with the Zygons, something that the Doctor and River found confusing.

"What's she doing? Surely she's realised that they aren't exactly good guys." River speculated, eyeing the famous pilot with narrowed eyes.

"Well, she probably has, but that's the thing about artists-" The Doctor shrugged, but was cut off by River.

"Artists? She's a plane pilot!" River interjected, but he shushed her.

"To people like her, flying is an art, and that ship – to her – is like a masterpiece, and that, quite frankly, is the most incredible example of a flying machine she has ever seen. It would be like Leonardo Da Vinci seeing a Van Gogh, or Johann Sebastian Bach hearing Beethoven, except on a scale a hundred times as big!" The Doctor explained.

"Still, you think she could get a little perspective…" River muttered.

They were both distracted from the debate when they saw a familiar figure walk into the room.

"Aliya…" River said, her eyes following the other blonde.

"More like the Zygon imitating her." The Doctor retorted.

"How can you be sure?" Her voice and expression showed not disbelief – she trusted him completely, even if she knew he was often wrong, but she knew when it was a time like that and at the moment it wasn't – but curiosity. "Because she's walking free?"

"Well, yes, and you can just tell by her face, it's all cold and…well…snotty, isn't it?" He agreed.

The Zygon-Aliya walked across the room to where Amelia Earhart and the other two Zygons were, and after some more discussion, the two humanoids that looked like humans entered the pod together.

The Doctor and River waited anxiously for some kind of take-off, and was disappointed when there wasn't one.

"Why aren't they doing anything?" The Doctor wondered aloud.

"Maybe they're just giving her instructions or something," River guessed unsurely as she watched the pod to no avail, "Brilliant pilot she might be, but even she can't go into an alien ship and know exactly what to do!"

"Yes, that's true…" The Doctor admitted.

* * *

"Go back to the containment room and renew the bodyprint," The tall Zygon told the one wearing Aliya's bodyprint. "You're going to need to search around this place for the other two humans. When you do, act like one of them, fool them, and make them think that you are really her. They might suspect that you are an imposter, so you must convince them whatever it takes. You must gain their trust, and then capture them, but if they prove to be too crafty, just kill them."

* * *

"I will," The bodyprint Zygon replied, and walked off back towards the containment room.

"Oh, the Zygon with Aliya's bodyprint is leaving again…" The Doctor noted. They watched it leave, still thinking about how eerie it was to see Aliya walking around and knowing that it wasn't really Aliya, that it was really a Zygon in distinctive humanoid shape…

"So what now?" River asked as she peered through the barrels at the two Zygons and Amelia Earhart in the distance.

"Now…we get out, find Aliya, see if she found anything out before being captured, and then we'll come up with a new, proper plan." The Doctor told her.

"Getting out of here isn't going to be easy with all of these Zygons around…" River murmured uneasily, her mind trying to think up an escape plan.

"Ha! Those Zygons are so focused on their precious Skarasen recovery mission that they won't even notice us slipping out." The Doctor dismissed in his usual arrogant and assuming manner.

"Maybe not, but if they catch us, I'm blaming it on you. Though, what can I say, it certain is more my style…being careful is ever so dull!" River grinned.

"It can however be safer…there's a fine line between daring and stupidity…" The Doctor reminded her.

"A line that in your case is permanently blurred," River retorted cheekily with a smirk.

The Doctor ignored her statement. "So what do you think?" He asked intently, shooting another scanning look at the Zygons. "Do we give it a go and risk being captured by the ultimate masters of disguise, or do we wait them out?"

River looked at him with a knowing smile. "Sweetie, you know me, and you've known my answer from the beginning, I can tell."

"Yes, well," He shrugged with a coy but flirtatious smile, "Never hurts to check."

"Off we go then…" River said.

"Here goes," The Doctor nodded, and he grabbed her hand tightly as they cautiously inched out from behind the barrels, and when they thought the Zygons weren't watching, ran through the large door out of the huge room.

* * *

One Zygon thought he heard something, and when he turned around to look he saw a flash of blonde human hair. Deciding it must be his counterpart wearing the bodyprint, he thought nothing else of it.

* * *

The Doctor and River slowly made their way back through the various corridors of the Zygon base, trying to find their way back to the containment chamber.

"This place is so intricately built and developed…they must have been here for years, if not decades!" River said with reluctant awe as she took in all the skilled architecture.

"Oh, probably centuries, the ones at Loch Ness were there before the 12th century, there's no telling how long these ones have been here – don't get me wrong, they might not have been here very long at all – but there is no way of knowing when you are dealing with a species that have very long lifespans." The Doctor agreed, rambling on as per usual.

After several more minutes of searching and hiding behind various décor whenever a Zygon came anywhere near, they were about to go through a doorway when a familiar figure suddenly stepped into it.

The Doctor suddenly found himself with a blonde woman in his arms.

"Doctor!" Her voice was gleeful and relieved, and she hugged his middle as though he were a giant and favourite teddy bear.

"Aliya?" He asked slowly, unsure.

She raised an eyebrow as she stepped away from him, but didn't stop grinning. "Who else?"

"Ah, well, you know," The Doctor said awkwardly, not knowing what to say. He flicked a glance at River, who seemed to be thinking along the same lines as him.

"You guys found your way in here alright?" Aliya asked casually.

"Yes, er, you could say that," He answered vaguely, thinking of being chased by the Zygon into the area, and deciding that it wasn't a total lie.

He found that the suspicion in him didn't stop growing, it just swelled to continuously greater proportions.

"River, can I talk to you for a minute?" He asked slowly, not taking his eyes off Aliya.

"Sure." River replied easily, sensing what it was going to be about. They moved away from the third member of their party and begun talking in hushed voices, trying not to look back at Aliya, who was watching them and looking a little hurt and offended, but overall confused.

"Do you think it's the real Aliya we're talking to?" The Doctor whispered to River.

"How can it be?" She asked the rheotorical question with certainty. "We know for a fact that Aliya is trapped in the containment room. We also know that a Zygon wearing her bodyprint is around here somewhere, not far ahead of us at all. And you saw those alcove cells. There's no way that even someone like Aliya would be able to escape that alone! Which, along with the other evidence, pretty much proves to us that this has to be the Zygon." River said.

"Agreed, though I will admit, this Zygon is a much more impressive actor than the one impersonating Amelia…" The Doctor said, and the thought again tried to persuade him that it was the real Aliya, even though he knew it couldn't be.

"So what do we do?" River asked. "I mean, can we over power it? Because they're pretty huge."

"No, you're right…we have to trick it. What if we could get it back in the containment room, and free the real Aliya and put the Zygon in her place? We don't have to hurt it, just trap it." The Doctor suggested and River nodded in agreement.

"Um…guys, what's going on?" Aliya asked suspiciously.

They turned to look at her with smiles that were a little _too _innocent.

"We were just wondering if you had seen any other humans around here, that's all." The Doctor said quickly.

Aliya nodded slowly, looking as though she was unsure about why that matter would warrant a private discussion. "Yes, there was a woman…I tried to free her but-"

The Doctor held up his hand. "Take us to her, we'll see if we can help." He knew that Amelia was not in the containment room, but he was using it as a test.

"But she wasn't in there when I left, she'd disappeared….but I can show you where she was." Aliya lead them through the doors until they reached the room familiar to all of them. She pointed to one of the alcoves. "She was in that one there."

"Yes, right next to the one which has a person that looks exactly like you in it…" The Doctor commented with a raised eyebrow, shooting her a pointed look.

"I was about to explain that…" Aliya said quickly, flicking nervous glances at the doppelganger in the alcove, "You see-"

"Ha!" The Doctor interrupted. "I don't want to hear it. You can stop pretending now, we've already figured it out."

"Figured what out?" Aliya asked with seemingly innocent confusion.

"I will admit, you are a lot more convincing than whoever was pretending to be Amelia – and don't give me that blank look, I know that you know who she is…" The Doctor began in his speech voice, and Aliya raised a sceptical eyebrow at his words. "But really, how thick do you think we are? We came in this way, we know that you had Aliya imprisoned, we saw her. We also saw you entering that hanger and getting friendly with Amelia and your Zygon pals!"

"Why do you keep talking as though I'm not Aliya?" The blonde asked blankly, staring at him as though trying to see if he were in a trance.

"No, really, stop it, you're just irritating now, and believe me when I say that I really don't like it when people capture and imitate my friends." The Doctor said sharply.

"But-"

"Doctor, should I get out the real Aliya?" River asked, and the Time Lord nodded. She began working on the panel, attempting to open it.

"What's going on?" Aliya asked, looking a little scared. The Doctor took another step towards her, resulting in her being backed against a wall with him coming closer and closer.

"We're taking back our friend and putting you in there where you belong," He said.

"But I am your friend! What do you think I am? I'm telling you, somehow, that thing or person looks like me, but I don't know how yet, but I swear, I am Aliya! Aliyanadevoralundar, your best friend!" She cried anxiously, her eyes darting between River and the Doctor.

"No, you're not, stop pretending now, or I'm going to get very mad very quickly." The Doctor said in a dangerously low tone.

"We met in a library!" She said desperately. "Susan, the War Lords, Heta, your scarf, celery, rainbow coat, cat pin, umbrella, all those damned question marks!" She was shouting in his face, which was now mere inches from hers, with a frightening look of disdain on it.

"That doesn't mean anything, for all we know, the Zygons are able to access the memories and personality as well as the physical aspects, it proves nothing, you could just be dredging up facts from her brain!" The Doctor spat angrily.

"Doctor, it's open." River said as she helped the imprisoned Aliya out. "Are you alright, sweetie?" She asked her friend.

Aliya looked at River with slight confusion mixed with a large amount of gratitude. "Thank you so much…it was horrible in there!" She said with a warm smile, still looking shaken.

"Alright, now you can try some of your own medicine, River, help me," The Doctor instructed, and seized the arms of the Aliya he had against the wall. She began to resist with great amounts of agitation.

"You stupid man! I'm the real one, _she's _the fake!" She yelled at the Doctor as River and the Doctor wrestled her into the alcove, while the Aliya that had just been freed smirked knowingly at her.

"Nice try," Her doppelganger taunted, looking relieved that she was in there.

"You're making a mistake, she'll-" The trapped Aliya's words were cut as the glass slid over the opening, properly imprisoning her. She leant her head on the glass defeatedly, closing her eyes.

"You rescued me…" The freed Aliya said gratefully.

"Well, it's hardly a new thing, rescues are just part of the everyday course, really." The Doctor reminded her, and she nodded slowly.

"You were so sure of yourself, so sure that she was the fake…" She continued, briefly looking at her doppelganger in the alcove who was watching the scene anxiously, "I'd almost be impressed…"

"Almost? We just freed you!" River protested indignantly.

"I say almost for one simple reason, because of the one flaw in your plan…" The Aliya in front of them said slowly, and smiled a smile that didn't exactly seem like an Aliya-ish smile.

"What reason, what flaw?" The Doctor pressed urgently, his eyes serious.

"The fact that you were wrong…" She replied easily, and her body glowed red as it changed and morphed into the ugly and hostile form of a Zygon.

The Doctor and River took a step back as fear and defeat crashed through them as they realised their fatal mistake.

The Zygon roared and began to advance on the couple while the real Aliya felt tears of worry and frustration gathering at her eyes as she pounded her fists against the glass of her prison and cursed the fact that she was completely helpless, and forced to watch as her friends were about to be killed…

* * *

**I hope I didn't disappoint! **

**FYI, the Zygons are David Tennant's favourite Doctor Who monsters, just for a random bit of trivia. They are pretty awesome, and seriously haven't had enough appearances (hello, ONE televised serial? seriously?), so I thought I would give them the attention they deserve. Though, their one serial is very good. It's Four with Sarah Jane and Harry Sullivan, with the Brigader (in a kilt, SQUEEE!, it's sooo funny)...and the Loch Ness Monster! Who, you know, is actually a Skarasen, but whatever...so yes, Sarah Jane was not joking in School Reunion when she said that...**

**For those of you that are following Marry My Best Friend, the first chapter of the sequel is now up, so reviews on that would be appreciated...**

**I also have released two more oneshots, one called 'The Box Settles the Score', and involves Idris!TARDIS and Eleven turning up on the Valiant, and the TARDIS bitch-slapping the Master for turning her into a paradox machine, among other things, it's pure crack, but very fun. **

**The other is called 'Guilt' and is what I think should have happened in that LKH scene. After all, to only show the New companions was ridiculous! So I did my own, please check it out. **

**And finally, AND DO READ THIS, IT'S IMPORTANT, there is one more story, called '100 Moments'. It's based around the 100 themes art challenge on Facebook, and I'm doing a fic version, based around the relationship, friendship, lives and romance of Aliya and the Doctor. They are nice little drabbles/oneshots, and are perfect while waiting for me to update this. It's also perfect for all you unsatisfied Aliya/Doctor shippers. It's VERY shippy. **

**So, that's all from me, I think! Check out my new stories and review please...and please leave a review on this too!**

**Thanks a bunch, I love you all (that is, my reviewers, those of you who can't be bothered to review really are just sad)! :D**

**-MayFairy :)**

**p.s. If you want to listen to THE Doctor/Aliya song, look up 'Used To' by Christ Daughtry...it's beautiful, and so perfect for them it's not funny. **


	34. Howland Island: Façades of Many Kinds

**This story does diverge from canon other than the obvious (will be properly explained in what occurs in the epilogue) so bear in mind to not assume that anything post Series 5 is going to occur in the same way or be true. River is not the Astronaut, or Amy and Rory's daughter. Outside of TIA/DotM, she is not involved in the Series 6 arc (which is not even being covered until the sequel). For the record, the epilogue will explain, without breaking the fourth wall, how Aliya's presence changed so much. **

**Sorry for any confusion. Now, enjoy!**

**P.S. I pulled a total Classic Who cliffhanger on the end of the last chapter and the beginning of this one. Sorry. :P**

* * *

The Zygon continued to close in on the Doctor and River, and just when it looked as though they were about to meet an unfortunate demise, another Zygon entered the room.

"Stop!" It commanded. "The orders have changed, the Leader wants them alive, all three of them."

"They are mine," The first Zygon growled, but the second Zygon shot it a commandeering look that forced the first into submission. "Fine…move it, humans!" It let the Doctor and River out of the room and back towards the hanger-like room while the second stayed to release Aliya so that she could be brought also.

The three humanoids stood in front of four Zygons, all of whom were watching them with silent triumph. One moved forward to bind their hands with handcuff clamps, preventing them from trying to escape, as another Zygon also had an energy gun pointed at them for good measure. Things were beginning to look grim. It took the Doctor and River a while to notice Amelia Earhart, who was lingering behind the Zygons warily, watching them with caution and confusion.

"So...I thought you were a Zygon…no hard feelings?" The Doctor whispered to Aliya, who glared and punched him lightly in the arm as best she could with bound hands.

"I did _try _to tell you…" She said exasperatedly.

"Let's not waste time on that now," River put in, hissing. "Why is Amelia with them? Hasn't she figured out that she's on the wrong side?"

"Who's Amelia?" Aliya asked in confusion, looking past the Zygons to see the woman. "Is that the woman there? I tried to rescue her, that's how they caught me in the first place…"

"Yes, that's her. Full name is Amelia Earhart, she is one of the most famous pilots in history, partly because she disappeared." The Doctor explained hurriedly, and Aliya nodded.

"When? This is hardly going to be in the history books…"

"According to history, about three days ago."

"So whatever it is that's going on here, it's linked to her disappearance."

"It has to be, because all historical accounts, despite disagreeing on how it happened, all have the same introduction: That Amelia Earhart never reached Howland Island, and that's the island that we're standing on right now."

"So they're messing with history." Aliya concluded, but River shook her head slightly, looking contemplative.

"Or making it," The archaeologist said, "I'm a time travelling archaeologist, and possibly the most qualified person in the universe to tell you that history can get a lot wrong, no matter what every single account says."

"Historians never get anything right, everyone knows that," The Doctor said thoughtfully, "But normally there is someone who got close to the truth, but not this time. Why?"

Neither of the women had a chance to answer before a booming Zygon voice rang out, splitting the air into silence other than his voice.

"Cease this hushed talk! Who are you, and what are you doing here?" The lead Zygon interrogated hostilely.

"I'm the Doctor, this is Aliya, and the naughty one with the great hair is River," The Doctor said with a grin, flicking a flirtatious glance at the archaeologist, who couldn't help the smirk that crept onto her face.

"Flattered, sweetie, but there is a time and a place," She said condescendingly.

"Now that's rich, coming from you," He retorted, "Hypocrisy doesn't look good on you, River."

"Oh, _everything _looks good on me, Doctor, and I mean _everything. _Remind me to show you what I can do with your bowtie sometime," River replied without missing a beat, and threw him, causing him to frown in a way that suggested that he didn't know whether to be confused or intrigued, but fondled his bowtie for reassurance regardless.

Aliya had meanwhile been watching the lead Zygon, who was watching the flirting with growing irritation.

"If you are quite finished," It barked deliberately, "You did not state what it is that you are doing here."

"We were just passing through, though I think that's gone out the window now. Except there's not actually a window, it's just a sort of hypothetical phrase…but basically, whether you like it or not, we're here." The Doctor rambled, as usual making everything twice as long as it needed to be.

"Whatever your intentions, you have become a hindrance which must be dealt with." The Zygon growled.

"I had a feeling that you would get to that," The Doctor replied easily. "But first, I have a question for Amelia." The human woman looked up suddenly at the sound of her, taken aback both by his mention of her and clearly confused as to how he knew her name.

"How do you know my name?" She asked warily, eyeing the strange man.

"You're famous," He answered, and despite looking disbelieving, she nodded.

"Ask your question." She said simply.

"Why are you helping them? Surely you realise that they don't have good intentions!" The Doctor asked, despite having already guessed her own motives after his earlier conversation with River.

"They haven't done anything to suggest that they don't have good intentions, they are merely trying to get their creature back…what is so wrong with that?" Amelia demanded almost angrily.

"Of course they want their creature back, they need it to survive," River put in, "But do you know what they plan to do once they have it?"

"No…but it is the chance of a million lifetimes to be able to fly their machine, why would not take this opportunity?" Amelia replied offhandedly. "Prove that they have unvirtuous intentions, and perhaps I would consider otherwise."

"In the past they have been completely hostile! They copy human bodies, something you have seen with your own eyes, and the supposed Loch Ness Monster is actually a Skarasen just like the one they are trying to rescue, and it killed many people, attacking the ships on the Loch. They were going to take over the world – not these Zygons, other ones – and use it as a substitute for their own planet. So believe me, they are not to be trusted!" The Doctor told her urgently.

The lead Zygon looked annoyed and disbelieving. "Ha! Why should we want to stay on this miserable planet? Solar flares may have destroyed our own, but there are plenty of uninhabited planets that would suit us perfectly well. We simply want to leave."

"See? They don't want to take over, they just want to get away!" Amelia defended, and Aliya and River exchanged a look, confused as to why she was so desperate to protect them.

"Oh really?" The Doctor asked the Zygons, not believing their words for a single second as he took a step towards them. "And what would your leaving this planet involve?"

"Our ships are organic, they don't have the same compact systems as others, the blast from take-off shall likely destroy the entire island." The Zygon said with an uncaring voice, and Amelia's face dropped a mile, a worried frown creasing her face.

Aliya spoke before anyone else got a word in, her brain whirring. "But the aftermath of that would cause incredible destruction! The amount of earthquakes and tsunamis that would occur…hundreds of thousands of will be killed!"

"Why should the lives of primitive apes such as yourselves concern us? They would die for a greater cause…"

"Now wait just a minute!" Amelia put in angrily, her cheeks flushed with betrayal and aggression, "If you think that I am going to help you, just so that you can escape at the cost of hundreds of thousands of lives, then you, sir, are completely off your head!"

"We do not require your consent, for if you do not fly the craft with perfect precision, we shall kill these three people." The Zygon said, and Amelia's features filled with disgruntled defeat.

"You can't ask her to do that, it's a death trap!" River burst out furiously, and Amelia's eyes shot to the woman with the impressively curly hair, brow furrowed in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"It's in their computer," River said, but realised with Amelia's blank look that computers did not exist yet, and therefore the pilot had no idea what she meant, "It's recorded in their logs; the reason they are using you is because the Zygons who get sent down there don't come back."

"The pressure and heat in the earth is too strong," The lead Zygon confirmed with a solemn nod. "There is enough time for the pilot of the craft to use the transmat beam to retrieve the Skarasen and send it back up, but not for return before incineration. Luckily, the crafts are dispensable."

His words were absorbed by the four humanoids, and a large gap of silence followed. The Doctor's expression was serious and calculating, and Aliya felt herself not liking it one bit, and she shot a look at River, who was watching the Doctor with seemingly identical feelings to Aliya. What was he planning?

"So suddenly the man who talks far too much has nothing to say," The Zygon said snidely, and the Doctor immediately snapped to attention.

"Ha! Never speak too soon," He replied with ease, smiling briefly before his eyes and his voice became completely serious. "Now, I'm going to give you a choice. You want a planet? Fine, I can take you to one myself, without damaging the earth in any way. Come with me."

"Ha! We would never trust a mere humanoid with our survival." The Zygon scoffed.

"But that's your choice, take my offer and go to a new planet, because if you don't, if you stay here and try to destroy this islands and all the human lives that will go with it, then I _will _destroy you first. That's your one warning." The Doctor continued darkly, his eyes boring into that of the lead Zygon's.

"We shall continue in our plan, we will not be threatened by someone as insignificant as you," The Zygon spat.

The Doctor smiled pleasantly, all thunder in his voice gone. "Well, in that case, I volunteer myself to pilot the craft in Amelia's place."

"No!" Aliya and River shouted simultaneously, with the former taking a small step towards him.

"I'll do it," Aliya said reflexively, determined.

"Don't you dare," River hissed at her. "Doctor, let-"

"Both of you stop," The Doctor said with extreme firmness, glaring at them as he turned to face them briefly. "Only a Time Lord could pilot a flying craft as well as Amelia Earhart, which is why it has to be me." He locked eye with Aliya, conveying the fact that she could not argue, as River was not to know of her true species, for they were still not sure if River could be trusted with information of that nature. It wasn't that they didn't trust her, and if Aliya had her way, River would know, but the Doctor was strangely adamant.

Aliya glared at him with furious indignation before stepping back to join River. They both noticed him reach into his jacket pocket –something that was far more difficult than usual for him because of his hands being bound together - before turning around, keeping his hands clenched shut.

Aliya looked at River inquisitively, and the other blonde woman nodded to show that she had seen it.

"Why would let someone who just threatened us help us?" The Zygon said, as it didn't make sense in anyone's books.

"Because I bluffing, I thought that was obvious. I was just trying to scare you, and it didn't work, so now I'm going to try and save Amelia instead." The Doctor said matter-of-factly.

The Zygons exchanged wary looks with each other, but eventually agreed.

"Right, get it ready then," The Doctor said, and two of the Zygons left to fetch the craft and prepare it for descent, leaving only two Zygons with the four humanoids.

"Hold on," Amelia interjected, "I never said you could take my place!"

"Well, I am, you're welcome," He said, with a hint of something close to rudeness. He moved closer to the Zygons, about to stand between them when he stumbled and half fell on the two that still remained. "Sorry, bad balance with these cuffs, actually, Amelia, there was something I meant to talk to you about…" He immediately turned and grabbed Amelia's elbow before pulling her over to where the two blonde women were standing.

"Doctor, what are you-" River couldn't finish her sentence before a small explosion sound went off, and the four of them whirled around to see the Zygons howling in pain, crouched over and seemingly immobilised.

"Run!" The Doctor said, and the four of them sprinted as fast as they could out of the hangar room and as far into the spaceship as they could.

"What was that?" River asked, panting, when they finally stopped.

"Low intensity explosives, stuck them onto their skin when I pretended to trip over…will barely hurt them, just gave us a chance to escape! Now, Amelia, if you could reach into my jacket pocket and retrieve my screwdriver…it's a long sort of rod-thing with a green light on the end…yes, that's it." Amelia held up the screwdriver with a wary expression. "Point and press, do my handcuffs first." Amelia did as he instructed, and on the third try, his hands were free. "Thank you, Miss Earhart. If you'll allow me," He went on to release Aliya and River from their bonds before tucking the sonic back into his pocket.

"But what now? They'll hunt us down, won't they?" Amelia asked worried, glancing back at the corridor they had come down as though she expected to see Zygons running down it.

"We'll have to get down to the main reactor core of the ship, if we can sabotage it, make the ship blow up." The Doctor strategized, and the three females nodded in agreement before following him further down the passage.

"That seems a bit violent," Aliya said after thinking about it again.

"They got their choice. They chose wrong." The Doctor replied darkly, and his grim expression frightened her a little, and she said nothing more on the subject.

It wasn't for several minutes that they heard the menacing growl of a Zygon behind them, and they began to run, fear pounding in their hearts. Suddenly the lights began to flicker, and Aliya let out a squeak of fright, both at the occasional darkness and the footsteps that were closing in.

Suddenly, however, the footsteps became much lighter, something which confused the four people running. The lights went off just as the footsteps seemed to catch up to them completely, and Aliya's scream was joined by another of exactly the same frequency, and when the lights began to work again, the Doctor, River and Amelia turned to see two Aliya's staring at them with wide, fearful eyes.

"Oh, not _again._" River sighed heavily, looking anxious.

"It hadn't really bothered me until now…but that is highly disturbing." Amelia breathed, shooting a look at the Doctor, who was silently flicking his eyes between the two identical blonde women, as though trying to see if he could spot the difference.

"Think about how it is for me!" One of the Aliya's retorted irritably, earning her a glare from her doppelganger.

"Yeah, you must be disappointed that you didn't get to kill me or eat me before they noticed you," The second Aliya said scathingly.

"How dare you?" The other one demanded, "Not just once, but twice, you're going to steal my voice and my body?"

"I'd say I'm impressed by your acting, but I don't compliment hostile aliens," Came the retort.

"Both of you, be quiet! Answer me this…who made up the name TARDIS?" The Doctor interrupted, and both Aliya's shot a glance at the other before replying almost exactly in time.

"Susan," They said.

"So they definitely can hack into memories…alright, this is going to be trickier than I thought…unless I were to…yes, that would do it!" He said, and shot a thoughtful look at River. "Now, River, I'm sorry, and in advance, I promise that it means nothing, alright?"

"What means nothing?" River demanded worriedly, her eyes darting from the Doctor to the Aliya's.

"I don't understand," Amelia said blankly, watching the affair.

The real Aliya looked at her Zygon doppelganger, fury boiling in her hearts. Nothing she said would make any difference, because the Zygon would be capable of saying exactly the same thing. Of course, she could just try and attack her doppelganger in an attempt to force it to turn back to its true form, but the violent act would more likely come across as something a Zygon would do, and therefore become more of a hindrance than a help. So she was left doing nothing, like a pathetic woman from those old fashioned earth books, just waiting for someone else to solve her problems.

The Doctor approached one of the Aliya's, the one on the left. He stood very close to her, holding the side of her face while gazing intently into her eyes. River felt her insides stir with jealousy, but realised that this must have been what he had been referring to earlier.

"What are you doing?" The Aliya the Doctor was touching asked fearfully, looking incredibly nervous about his proximity, while the one he wasn't noticed that he had handcuffs clipped to his belt, ready for use.

"I'm going to kiss you," He said simply, and pressed his lips to hers. She did nothing, just stood there and let him do it, closing her eyes reflexively. The other Aliya's eyes widened to the size of tea cups. River had to look away, pain tearing at her heart despite knowing that it wasn't real. It was disgusting how strongly she loved him, really. Someone with her type of fortitude, the fortitude of someone who's lover only remembers half of the moments they have shared, should not be so desperately connected to one person. Luckily, the kiss didn't last long. The Aliya who had been kissed looked bemused, and watched as the Doctor then approached the other Aliya, his face coming nearer and nearer to hers with obvious intent, until-

Her hand collided with his face in a very deliberate manner. He felt his head abruptly shift at the contact, but smirked at the same time.

"There we go!" He said enthusiastically, clearly unfazed. Without hesitating for a moment, he turned and clipped the handcuffs around the wrists of the first Aliya, the one who had not slapped him. She then growled, and reverted back to the Zygon form.

"I almost had you fooled, Doctor," It said, and the Doctor looked unimpressed.

"But you didn't. Now, we're going to leave…one move and I'll use my sonic to tighten those cuffs until they chop your hands off," He whispered, and the four humanoids backed away before running. They could hear the Zygon following, but came to a door that the Doctor was able to sonic once they had gone through, keeping them safe for the moment. The Zygons would take a while to get through it.

"How did you know that she was the real Aliya?" River asked incredulously, but felt secretly glad that it had been the Zygon rather than the real Aliya who had been kissed by the Doctor.

"Ha! Easy. I knew that if Aliya knew I was about to kiss her, she would make sure I didn't in the most forceful way possible. She's good like that. But the Zygon only sensed the natural chemistry between a male and a female, so it didn't do anything to stop me. Nothing like a good old slap in the face to assert yourself as being real, right, Aliya?" The Doctor said with a fond smile, with Aliya returned unsurely.

"Let's just get to the reactor core, shall we?" She responded, and the four of them set off, knowing that despite the locked door, they didn't have long. They eventually came to a room with a pulsing centre of green light, one that caused Amelia to stop and stare at it in awe.

"What's the plan?" River asked, positioning herself ready at the controls just in case.

"We're going to blow it up." The Doctor replied, looking a little grave at the thought of the death that he was going to cause, despite everything.

"Alright then," River said with a smile, and began examining the controls so as to try and figure out the best way to go about it.

"But won't we have to put it on a delay? Otherwise we're going to get blown up as well!" Aliya reminded him, and he nodded.

"Well, yes, there is that. You can be in charge of the delay, Aliya, then." He suggested, and she frowned.

"Okay…no pressure…" She muttered before turning to the controls and running her fingers over them quickly in an attempt to calculate a delay.

"Amelia, you stand at the entrance and keep watch for Zygons," The Doctor instructed, and the pilot nodded and moved to do so.

After five minutes of work, the three time travellers seemed satisfied with their work.

"Are we ready? Aliya, will we have enough time to get away?" The Doctor asked, and she nodded.

"I think so…but we'll have to be quick!" She told him.

"Alright then, on three, one, two, three!" The Doctor said, and the three of them all pulled the appropriate levers in the mechanism. An alarm-like whirring sound began to ring out, and Aliya's face paled.

"Oh no, Doctor, the delay didn't work, it's started already!" She jammed her finger down on a button. "We've got thirty seconds from the moment I let go of this button, and that isn't enough time!"

"Can't we just shut it down, try it again?" River asked, looking between the Doctor and Aliya, and the former shook his head gravely.

"The reset would take too long…it's now or never, and never isn't an option…we're stuck." He replied, and Amelia took a deep breath before stepping forward and standing by Aliya, holding her hand down on the button and taking away Aliya's.

"Amelia, what are you-" Aliya asked in alarm and worry, but the historical figure shushed her.

"If I hold this down for a few minutes, it gives you time to escape. So go, before the Zygons get here." Amelia said calmly, looking them all evenly in the eyes.

"No, I'll do it, you don't-" Aliya argued, but River cut her off, offering the same thing for herself.

"No!" Amelia shouted. "I've seen the relationship between the three of you, and I can see as clear as anything that if one of you tries to stay, the other two will never allow it. You care too much, whereas I am a stranger, making my fate a sad one, but not one that will cause you grief."

"You don't have to do this," The Doctor said quietly, looking her in the eye.

"Yes, I do…and I can see in your eyes that you know that. I'm the stranger, the one who will not be missed."

"You are a stranger who is never forgotten, the whole world will know your name for centuries to come." He told her solemnly, and her eyes filled with confusion. "The three of us, we travel in time, and let me tell you, Amelia Earhart, that the entire world will remember you as one of the greatest pilots who ever lived, and they will spend hours working on the case of your disappearance, because they will _never _forget you. And let me say that it has been a honour. A true honour to have known you. You were far greater than I ever imagined." The Doctor kissed her forehead, and her wet eyes blinked.

"Thank you…" She whispered. "To know that I will be remembered…that is all the comfort I need. Now go."

"I'm sorry," Aliya said, blinking back tears of her own, "Thank you." River echoed similar words before being the first to leave the room, to be followed by the two Time Lords. The Doctor gave Amelia a solemn salute, which she returned with a brave smile.

Amelia Earhart prepared herself, and counted down the amount of time that she knew they would need, trying to give them as much time as she could, but she could hear the footsteps of the Zygons coming, so let go of the button, hearing the sirens blaring once more. She stood tall and proud, and closed her eyes in the final seconds, before a flare of heat and light sent her spiralling into darkness.

* * *

The Doctor, River and Aliya ran as fast as they could, back through the various corridors and chambers until suddenly they were in the underground passage that was not part of the spaceship, and they broke out into the fresh air with relief filling their hearts. But they kept running, knowing that to be truly safe they would have to get to the TARDIS. Their feet sank into the sand as they ran back down the beach towards the blue box, and flew through the door and into the console room. River slammed the door shut. They all stood there, panting, no words needing to be spoken.

A sob broke the Doctor out of his haze of thoughts; he and River turned to see Aliya running up the stairs, face in her hands. He shot a glance at River before following, being grateful that his legs were longer and that he was able to catch up.

"Aliya!" He called, but she merely glanced back, did not answer, and kept going, though he was glad to see that she had slowed down. He grabbed her arm, pulling her to face him. "Aliya, what is it, what's wrong? Are you hurt?" She shook her head, looking at his with teary eyes.

"It's my fault," She whispered, body almost shaking in her state of guilt and distress.

"What is?" He had an idea of what it might be that was bothering her, but it didn't hurt to check.

"I set the delay wrong, it was my fault that she had to stay behind…I killed her!" She cried, and he was quick to wrap his arms around her in a comforting hug.

"Nobody killed her. She chose to stay behind, to save us. Which makes her the incredible person and no one the source of blame." The Doctor told her firmly, and she sniffed loudly, head resting on his shoulder. "Now look at me." He took her chin and tilted it so that their eyes met. "What happened wasn't your fault. She was supposed to disappear, that's how history has always had it written, it was supposed to happen this way."

"So I was supposed to kill her, great, now I can take comfort in that I killed someone, but hey, it's fine, because it was _supposed to happen!" _Aliya snapped sarcastically, and the Doctor placed his hands firmly on her shoulders.

"Aliya, you listen to me. Did you want her to die?" He asked deliberately and she shook her head. "Did you try to take her place?" She nodded.

"But I could have-" He put a finger on her lips and she was silent once more.

"Did she, or did she not, refuse to let any one of us stay behind, and insist on doing it herself without anyone asking her to?"

"Yes, but if I hadn't gotten it wrong-"

"Did you cause the situation intentionally?"

"Of course, I didn't, it was an accident, but-"

"And there you have it, you said it yourself." The Doctor said firmly, and she paused as she realised what he meant. "It was an accident." Hesitantly, she nodded slowly. "Good. Now, these things are never easy, but I find that things like books are often the best way to keep your mind off it. Now, off to the library you go." She smiled weakly and turned to head off in the direction he had pointed. He also turned, to go back to the console room and River, but turned around again when he heard his name.

"Doctor?" Aliya had stopped, looking at him across the distance with gratitude in her eyes. "Thank you."

He nodded before turning and heading back to the console room, where River was waiting.

"Everything okay?" River asked, lounging on the jump seat.

"She was blaming herself for what…for what happened to Amelia. I think she's alright now." The Doctor replied, but soon grinned at the archaeologist. "Now, Doctor Song, I believe that because of a certain Zygon, I find myself feeling as though I owe you a favour."

River's eyebrows rose momentarily before a sultry smirk spread across her face. "Well, I like my favours repaid as soon as possible, in full." She answered cheekily.

"I'll do my best," He retorted, and she got up just in time for him to crush his lips to hers, and she grinned against his mouth as she wound her arms around his neck. Her fingers entwined in his long hair and he returned the favour, again relishing the feel of her soft, bouncy golden curls that put any other kind of curly hair to shame.

Breathing had become a thing of the past, the Doctor ended up having to switch to his respiratory bypass system, and River continued to use her miraculous trick of breathing in through her nose while her mouth was occupied. Her hands travelled down to grab the lapels of his tweed jacket and pull him closer to her. He then backed her up against the edge of the console, and she let out a chuckle, feeling how despite his actions being somewhat forward, she could sense that he was still a little hesitant, and she knew that this was the Doctor before he done anything majorly _intimate _with her. Still, she would take whatever she could get, and this Doctor seemed very eager indeed to indulge in somewhat heavily passionate kissing.

Suddenly, a voice caused them to momentarily pause, lips still joined, eyes still closed, but unmoving.

"Doctor, what is a-oh, Lords!" Aliya exclaimed from the top of the stairs, and abruptly covered her eyes with her hand, and felt her cheeks flush scarlet. They weren't actually doing anything particularly scandalous, but from where she was standing, their position looked compromising. "I'm sorry…I'll leave now…" She backed away, feeling thoroughly embarrassed.

The Doctor felt himself almost cringing. "Why do I feel like I'm going to start wishing that she wasn't here?"

River pulled away from him slightly and raised an eyebrow.

"Was that rude? I mean, it's not like I want her to leave, but I can't say that I'm comfortable with knowing that someone might always be walking in on us." He wondered, and River laughed, pressing a fond kiss to his chin.

"Well, my love, if it helps, she isn't always around to do so," She told him, but instead of having the desired effect, her words only caused him to frown worriedly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked, and she smiled again.

"Nothing bad, sweetie, you don't need to worry about it. Trust me." She said, and he eventually decided to do so, kissing her again.

All too soon, she was pulling away.

"I need to go, Sweetie, things to do, people to see, Doctors to meet…" She said, and piloted the TARDIS to her desired destination before heading for the door. "Until the next time."

"I look forward to it."

"I remember it well," She retorted, but her face became serious again. "But the next time you see me, you're going to find out who I am…who I was. And I'm sorry."

"What do you mean?" The Doctor inquired urgently, but she merely shook her head sadly, and walked out of the doors. He was left to his own thoughts, ones that were suddenly filled with speculation and worry.

* * *

The Doctor pulled Aliya by the hand eagerly, rambling on in his usual childlike way.

"You have to see this, Aliya, it's history in the making! July, 1957, the very party where John Lennon and Paul McCartney met! This is the beginning of the Beatles!" He insisted, pulling her out of the door after making her change into a long skirt and dressy blouse suitable for the '50's.

"How many times do I have to tell you that I don't _care _about some ancient band named after insects!" She countered, but he was paying her no attention.

"Of course you do, you just don't know it yet," He assured her before pulling her into a swinging dance he called the 'jitterbug' to a jazzy rock and roll piece of music. Despite herself being in a bad mood (she was unsure why, she supposed that it was a simple fluke), she began to enjoy herself, laughing at the Doctor's awful dancing and laughing at herself after realising that hers hadn't been much better. Suddenly, she felt the Doctor stop, and noticed him staring over her shoulder. When she turned to look, she saw a very young looking River – around the same age as the one who had been with them to New Earth – dressed in all red, beckoning to the Doctor, who then dragged Aliya through the crowd towards his 'friend'.

"River," He said fondly, and she smiled, with a strange flicker of some emotion passing through her eyes briefly.

"Doctor," She replied, and took him by the hand before leading them downstairs into the basement. She let the Doctor and Aliya go first, and glanced to the corner, before turning to lock the door, slipping the key into her pocket before going down the stairs.

"Why did you bring us here? Not the most appealing place," The Doctor commented.

"Yes, well, I'm sorry if you had plans of dying somewhere finer," She retorted, and he turned to face her, noting the gun that was now in her hands and directly pointed at him.

"River, what are you doing?" He asked in alarm, but she directed her gaze to the man in the corner, now addressing him.

"How does he know my name?" It seemed to bother her greatly, her hands shook slightly. "You said that he would, but how? He treats me…like he knows me, like I'm his friend! Explain, now!" She came down the stairs, advancing on the man who had moved out of the shadows. He had the air about him of someone that was to be feared, and was dressed in some kind of military uniform.

"If you do what it was that you were instructed to, time will rewrite and he will have never learnt your name." The man replied evenly, his voice low and gravelly.

"Time can't just be rewritten when someone feels like it," Aliya snapped, and he shot her a glare.

"You can be quiet, because there's still a chance that you'll make it out of this alive, because it's only the Doctor that we want." The man replied harshly. River still didn't seem entirely convinced, and moved closer to him again, leaving the stairs unblocked. The Doctor and Aliya began to creep around in an attempt at escape, but River whirled around at an almost inhuman speed and grabbed Aliya before pulling her in, pressing the barrel of the gun forcefully against the Time Lady's temple.

"You make one more move towards that door, Doctor," River hissed, "And I'll blow your girlfriend's brains out."

"She's not my girlfriend," He replied, but did as she instructed, following where the man was pointing for him to stand.

River rolled her eyes. "Do I look like I care? She isn't going to be any less dead for it…"

The Doctor gulped, and brought his eyes to meet Aliya's. She was not showing any fear, but it was obvious that being held at gunpoint by someone that she considered a very close friend was not something that she was enjoying in the slightest.

How had this night suddenly turned so wrong in a manner of minutes?

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed it!**

**Reviews are love!**

**-MayFairy :)**


	35. Unwanted Sacrifice

**Now, this chapter was supposed to be more River-centred, but then the Doctor and Aliya got arguing, and well...I ended with a scene that I never wanted but couldn't not love. So, sorry. Blame Eleven and Aliya, they're the ones who can't even stop arguing and be nice to each other for even one chapter!**

**Oh, and the River in the second half of the chapter is kind of a medium-ish River. She's knows the Doctor quite well, enough to be very knowledgable and River-y, but she hasn't done TIA/DofM, TPO/TBB, ToA/FaS, or, obviously, the Library. So, inbetween-ish.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The man in black shot a glance at River. "Miss Song, let her go. They can't try anything."

River hesitated for a moment before unwrapping her arm from around Aliya, who tried to make a swipe for the gun but was rewarded only with a brutal knee to the ribs before being shoved back towards the Doctor. The blonde woman stood by the Doctor after wincing and clutching her abdomen for a few moments.

"River…why are you doing this? Who put you up to this?" The Doctor asked urgently, trying to ignore the pain that was ripping through his hearts seeing River like this.

"Let's put it this way. There's an agency, the founding academy of every possible assassin in the universe. And at the heart of that agency, there's a hit list. I'm going to be the one to – shall we say – cross you off." River explained, glaring.

"But why? What has he ever done to be assassinated?" Aliya demanded.

"No one on the hit list is on there without an incredibly good reason." River said stonily. "They've told me about you. Killer of your own kind, mass genocidist several times over, kidnapper, and notorious time meddler. You're hardly innocent, Doctor." Her eyes were accusing and it was clear to both Time Lords how much she truly believed what she was saying.

The Doctor tried not to let her words get to him. All were true. Though, to be fair, all his kidnappings had been accidental…but he didn't blink. "Yes, River, I am all of those things. But there is so much more to it than that, River, there was a Time War, a war that was destroying all of creation, a war between the Daleks and the Time Lords. And I was the only one who could stop it. I didn't kill them by choice, but by necessity!"

River's eyes held slight surprise for a moment before combing over with disbelief. "I somehow doubt that." But her eyes flicked towards her commander regardless, who was glaring at the Doctor.

"You can claim innocence all you like, but we know the truth. You're so dangerous, we got a special request for you to be taken out," The man said.

"Request from who?"

The man sneered. "People you will never live to meet, and wouldn't want to."

An idea occurred to the Doctor. This was River Song, she may be stubborn, but here she was young, and her mind was just impressionable enough. And there was a device that he had swiped from a planet they had visited, a neural relay device that could connect two minds for a few seconds. He pretended to sneeze and bring his hands to his face, stealthily swiping the device from his pocket.

Aliya, not seeing what the Doctor was doing, took it upon herself to try and convince River of the Doctor's worth. "River, he-"

"Stop calling me River!" The young assassin shouted, moving the gun to point at the other woman. "How do you know my name?"

"Because in your personal future and my past, I've met you before," Aliya said slowly. Her voice began to build, losing its shaky tone. "The Doctor is a good man, who has been forced to make terrible decisions because no one else in the universe would. And he's a Time Lord, he has more right than anyone else in the universe to meddle with time if he chooses to do so. He has saved the universe more times than you've ever smiled, and that is why your precious agency can take their hit list and shove it up their lying, manipulative backsides."

Again, something passed through River's eyes, this time something stronger. But still, it disappeared and her eyes narrowed.

"Don't listen to their pathetic stories. Shoot both of them, now." The man told her, and she nodded, though the Doctor wondered if it was masked hysteria he could see behind her eyes.

The gun was lifted and aimed quickly, and just before the shot rang out, a shout of defiance rang through the air first. River fired the gun and watched the bullet whirl towards the Doctor's left heart.

The mison-core bullet never hit home. It instead buried itself in the side of the blonde woman who had launched herself in front of the Doctor in the last seconds. Her groan of pain was heard by all three bystanders before she collapsed on the floor at the Doctor's feet. Every fibre of his mind was telling him to kneel and help her, but he knew that if he didn't act now, he would be dead in seconds. He held up the device between himself and River before pressing the activation button.

It became a link between their minds, and he immediately pushed memories through. Vague enough to avoid spoilers but enough to give her an idea. Words of endearment she would say to him, and he to her, how it felt to kiss her and run his fingers through her hair...how it felt to laugh with her and feel that anticipation of not knowing what their relationship would bring.

The connection broke and River blinked, staring ahead blankly for a few seconds. Her commander eyed her warily.

"Miss Song!" He barked, and her eyes focused as the cruel smirk reappeared on her face. She kept her gun aimed at the Doctor intently as she moved closer to the commander, showing that her allegiance still lay with him. The Doctor felt defeat run through him as he realised that his plan had not worked, and for the first time allowed himself to look down, where Aliya lay at his feet, clutching her side in a weak attempt to stop the blood coming from the wound, gasping and coughing. The sight made him sick to the stomach. He bent down towards her only to hear River shout a command at him to stand up straight, which he reluctantly obeyed.

"You see, Mr Bennett," She told the man, who was looking satisfied as the Doctor finally began to look worried, "You've seriously underestimated what I'm capable off. Because once I'm done with this, I'll go on to do bigger and better things."

Bennett looked pleased and turned his triumphant gaze to the Doctor. "She's our greatest prodigy, Doctor, our bespoke psychopath, and-" His words were cut off as River suddenly whipped her hand out and knocked his gun out of his hands, taking him by complete surprise. Before he could even react, a gunshot fired and his limp body dropped to the floor with a thud.

"_My_ bespoke psychopath. Even now," The Doctor said quietly, and River shot him a shaky smile as she and the Doctor both dropped to the floor beside the injured woman. The Doctor pressed his hands down firmly on her wound and met her eyes. "Now, Aliya, hold on, if we can get you to the infirmary in time you should be okay. River, put your hands here and stay with her, I'll be right back." He took the key off her and leapt up the stairs to retrieve the TARDIS. It materialised minutes later, and he and River carried Aliya's barely conscious form inside and up the stairs into the infirmary.

"It really is bigger on the inside," River breathed as she was momentarily distracted. "It said on the records, but…well."

"Later, River," The Doctor reminded her, and they proceeded into the infirmary where they lay their companion down on the bed gently. "Go to her head, talk to her. You may not know it yet, but you are her friend, your voice will soothe her." When River hesitated, he frowned. "River, do as I say!" He said with a burst of anger. "I need her to be calm for this to work, and it has to work!" She nodded hurriedly and did as he said while he pulled out various medical equipment, looking for one in particular.

Eventually he made a triumphant noise as he pulled out an item that resembled a petri dish, only it was flat and somewhat bendy. The flat circle had various befuddling mechanics protruding from it, but River tried not to think about it too much as she tried to keep Aliya from worrying, which wasn't as hard as the Doctor made it out to be.

"Are you okay?" River asked unsurely, and Aliya nodded weakly, her eyelids half closed. River bit her lip, feeling the guilt tug at her. "I'm so sorry, I didn't know, they told me-"

"It's okay, River, I know." Aliya replied quietly. She would have said more but couldn't gather the energy to speak any more words.

"Now, Aliya, I'm going to lift your shirt a bit to get to the wound, so sorry about that," He muttered as he carefully peeled the fabric to sit around the bottom of her breastbone, revealing the bleeding wound on her right side.

"As long as it doesn't go any higher than that…" Aliya joked weakly, mentally telling herself that the reason that she had been so aware of his hands on her skin as he slid her shirt up was because of the fact that his hands were merely very different in temperature, comfortably warm compared to her unnaturally cold.

"So you really aren't a couple? I wasn't sure if you were just bluffing or not…" River asked, and Aliya shook her head with surprising fervour, despite what she had just been thinking about.

"Best friends, nothing else," She replied, "He's all yours." River raised an eyebrow at the strange certainty in her voice as she said it. Sure, the Doctor had sent those memories and feelings through the short psychic link and convinced her that he was telling the truth, and that their future together was what was meant to happen...but it was still nice to hear that he wasn't taken, for want of a better word.

"And 'the Doctor' is really your name? It isn't just something you hide from public knowledge?"

"Yes, it's my name just as much as River is yours." The Doctor said firmly as he applied the medical device to the wound. His patient let out a gasp of pain and closed her eyes with a groan as it set to work.

He and River found themselves watching the machine work on the injury before he realised that her breathing had slowed considerably, and her eyes had still not opened.

"Aliya? Aliya!" He shouted, and she didn't respond. The Doctor moved to stand by her head, holding it in his hands and insistently talking to the women who could not hear him. "Don't you dare die on me, Aliya, I forbid it!"

There was a large silence, where both he and River simply stared, waiting and growing more and more anxious as the seconds passed. Then, like a miracle, Aliya stirred slightly, absently swatting hair out of her face.

"Aliya," He breathed with relief, grinning at River in his moment of triumph.

Aliya kept her eyes closed as she settled herself on the infirmary bed. "You give me orders again, and I will be sure to burn every bowtie that you own." He reflexively grabbed his bowtie for security, then relaxed.

"Yep, she's fine," He said with a cheeky smile. "Let me help you up." He put his arm around her shoulders as she swung her legs off the bed. When she was standing upright, however, a grimace hit her face as her hands flew to her chest. "What is it?"

"My rib…the bullet must have cracked it…" She groaned. He helped her back on the bed before beginning to pull River towards the door. "Where are you going?"

"You're going to need rest!" He told her firmly, shooting a ridiculously paternal look at her, "I'm going to lay down the timey wimey and spoiler-ish rules for River before dropping her off…well, wherever she likes, I suppose. What do you think?" He turned to River with the last sentence.

"I can't say I'm looking forward to these rules, but I'll try anything once," River replied with a smirk, and he smiled.

"That's what I thought. Be good, Aliya, stay in bed and rest that rib until I'm back." He instructed before leaving with the human. Aliya huffed and lay back on the pillow, still finding it strange that she was there because _River _shot her.

Damn humans!

* * *

The Doctor leaned back against the console while River casually sat on the jump seat as she awaited his 'rules'.

"Alright, now, I can only tell you so much, but there is some things which you will definitely need to know. As you may have realised, Aliya and I have already met you, due to the fact that we travel in time, which you know already." The Doctor began, and River nodded.

"I understand that, but could you possibly try and explain it in more detail? Because that would make our timelines non-linear, am I correct?" River guessed, and the Doctor grinned proudly.

"Ha! River Song, brilliant before she even knew me, that's my girl," He said, clapping his hands with satisfaction. She raised her eyebrows at being called 'his' and he realised his mistake before coughing awkwardly.

River shrugged. "You get given the task of assassinating a time traveller, you have to do your research."

The Doctor nodded. "So, yes, we have a non-linear relationship, we keep meeting in the wrong order, but that's okay, frankly, it's more fun this way, far more interesting." He said. "But that means that whenever you meet me, you can never talk about anything you've done with me, because there's always going to be a chance that I haven't done it yet."

"I'm good at keeping secrets," River said with a smile, and he smirked.

"Good? River Song, you are more than good, you are bloody brilliant, almost as good as me." He complimented seriously, and she looked pleased.

"So…I'm going to know you very well, then? We're going to be friends?" She asked.

"Oh, River, we are going to be so much more than friends." He said with an almost suggestive smile. "Now, where do you want to be dropped off?"

River fell silent, deep in thought. "I've been training at the Agency for so long, I don't really have a home anymore. But I was from the 51st century, how about there?"

"51st century London coming up!" He repeated grandly before running around the console manically. "You can start again, River, build a life, make friends, study something, and in between all of that, come along with me and see everything the universe has to offer."

River looked pleased despite clearly being worried about the 'new life' part. She sat on the jump seat for a while as he ran his hands over the controls, piloting the box to the time period she had indicated, and the Doctor noticed the question caught in her throat.

"What is it? Did you want to ask me something?" He inquired slowly, and she frowned.

"I was just wondering…what species is Aliya?" Her question stopped him in his tracks, and he searched his head for a quick reply, anything that wasn't the truth. A word found its way to his mouth.

"Traken."

"What?"

"She's descended from the last survivor of the planet Traken, the only one to live when it was destroyed centuries ago, who, incidentally, also travelled with me." He rambled, feeling pleased that he had come up with an explanation that would legitimately make sense. He still felt uneasy lying, but the truth of another Time Lord's survival was still one he had no will or intention to spread amongst anyone who wasn't clustered on Earth fighting aliens in some way.

"Traken…" River murmured with a vague look, "It rings a bell," She shrugged with a cheeky smile. "I'll have to look it up."

The TARDIS landed with an only mild jolt, and River shot a somewhat excited look at the doors.

"Now, River, two things," The Doctor said suddenly, looking up at her with a newly solemn expression. She raised an eyebrow. "That man…your commander…the one you...killed."

"Are you going to tell me off for killing him?" She looked almost amused.

"More or less," He replied, "Because, River, killing him wasn't necessary, we could have found a way to wipe his mind, or something, _anything, _that did not involve killing him."

"It was the most effective way, and he wanted to kill you!" River defended, but the Doctor smiled in an almost sinister way.

"So did you." She quickly fell silent and directed her eyes at the floor. "And what you are going to have to realise if you're going to travel with me, River, is that there is _always _another way. A way that isn't death. There's always a choice." He gave her a small smile without letting the solemnity leave his eyes. "Make sure you choose right."

River nodded dumbly, knowing that it would take a while for her to get used to that with violence being so second-nature to her. But she felt a need to impress, a need to not disappoint.

"The thing I wanted to ask was...your commander mentioned people who requested me to be killed. Who?"

She frowned. "I'm sorry, I don't know. All I know is that you barely existed in our records. Then, suddenly, they were sending me off to kill you, said it was top priority. Something about...a war being prevented before it started." River shrugged apologetically. "Sorry, that's all I can remember."

"No, that's very...helpful. Thank you." He smiled. "So…are you ready?"

"It's the 51st century out there," River said, glancing at the door, and smiled when the Doctor nodded.

"You've travelled in time before, how is that surprising?" He asked with a small frown which caused her to smile again.

"Yes, but somehow it seems far more interesting when done in a dimensionally transcendentally blue box," She told him with a strange look of realisation. "And don't tell anyone that I ever that." He smirked.

"It always is…now, the next time that you see me and Aliya, it is much further back on our time-stream, so don't ask too many questions, just wait until you see a later version of me. Then you can ask away." His instructions were met with a solemn nod. "Now, go and get them." The Doctor smiled at her with a trust and confidence that filled her with hope and self-opinion that made her heart well, but she also felt guilt hit her too over how she had woken up that day with the attention to kill him.

"I'll see you soon," River said as she opened the door, resisting the urge to peek out of it, keeping her eyes locked on his.

"I remember it well," He answered, and smiled fondly. "Goodbye, River." He spoke her name with such a reverence that it shocked her, leading her to speculate on just how well he knew her. The idea was hardly an unpleasant one, and her grin was wider and more suggestive than she intended it to be.

"Goodbye, Doctor." She replied before stepping out the door with renewed confidence.

The Doctor watched her go with a strange sense of nostalgia; _His _River Song was stepping out into the world. He smiled before turning away from the door and heading for the infirmary, because now there was a different blonde who needed his attention.

* * *

The Doctor entered the infirmary, and stood at the door and watched his companion for a minute or so. She looked so peaceful lying back with her eyes closed, it was a nice contrast from the usually snarky and sarcastic demeanour she had while conscious. Not that she wasn't kind, or willing to do anything for him. She had proved that far too willingly, something he did not like. He was not worth anyone dying for him, and the thought that she had come close to doing so made him angry at himself, and furious at her. If she had died…he tried to imagine having to back to that never ending silence in his head, and found the product too terrible. He was awoken from the terrible thoughts by a somewhat irritated voice.

"Are you just going to stand there or what? Broken rib, remember?" He jumped in surprise and found her looking at him with a raised eyebrow, her confused expression causing him to cough and make his way to her side.

"Sorry," He apologised with an almost shy smile, "Got lost in my thoughts."

"They wouldn't happen to be about an ex-assassin archaeologist to be, would they?" Aliya teased, and he chuckled, acting as though her words were true, it was an easy cover. He could confront her about what she had done later.

"Let's just fix this rib before we talk, shall we?" He suggested, and she nodded as he got to work.

A few minutes later, he broke his own rule.

"Actually, there is something I should probably mention," The Doctor said almost guiltily, and she eyed him with suspicion, eyebrow raised. "I may have told her - in a moment of panic - that you are a descendant of the last survivor of Traken."

"You told her that I was descended from Nyssa?" She repeated in distasteful surprise, staring at him while he looked nervous.

"Not in so many words," He defended lamely, and ducked his head, looking back at her injury instead of her face, "But basically, yeah."

"May I ask why?" She inquired incredulously, utterly confused.

"She asked where you were from...it was the first thing that popped into my mind," He said, "I thought that you should probably know just in case she mentions it."

"I suppose..." Aliya admitted unsurely, "And I suppose I could do a lot worse than Traken...even if I'm not exactly 'nice' enough to be from there."

"You're a descendant, not a citizen."

"Oh, well that makes it alright, then."

He ignored her sarcasm.

* * *

There wasn't much to be done for a broken rib, he merely used a device to magnetise the two parts of the rib together, so that it would heal much faster.

"So now what? I've never had a broken rib before… " Aliya asked, curiously eying her upper abdomen, where his hands were deftly examining the break.

"There isn't much to do, we have to wait for it to heal. You've got to lie down and take it easy, movement will disrupt the healing process and will also be very painful." He explained as he gently pulled her shirt back down.

"So I just have to sit around and do nothing?" She said for clarification, not looking pleased at the thought.

"Nah, I'll put you in the movie room, and give you a huge pile of books. You'll be fine." He assured her. "Now, if you'll allow me, I'll carry you there now and then get you a blanket and pillow."

"Okay," She said grudgingly, "But you better actually watch some of the movies with me…"

"Of course," He replied as he scooped her up and began walking her down the corridors, and seeing her wince, he muttered a 'sorry'. He laid her on the luxurious couch that was set in front of a large television screen attached to the wall.

The Doctor went off to fetch pillows and a blanket for her while she used the remote to scroll through the built-in archive of movies that the TV contained. With thousands of options, she had no idea where to start. She was still staring at the screen with a furrowed brow when he returned.

"See anything you like?" He asked as he helped her slot the pillow behind her and tucked the blanket around her body.

"I didn't even know where to start." She replied simply, eyeing him as he sat at the other end of the couch. "But um, thanks for all of this. It must be so annoying having to look after ne. You don't have to, you know."

"Of course I have to!" He insisted, looking surprised and horrified at the thought of not doing so. "You're in my care and I'm responsible for you, and if it weren't for me, you wouldn't have been shot in the first place."

Aliya sighed, but knew she never had a chance in a million of deterring him. "None of that your fault."

"Every bit of that was my fault," The Doctor replied sharply, his expression dark.

"You were hardly supposed to expect that your girlfriend was going to try and kill you."

"No, but her reasons for killing me were correct, Aliya, and those things were my fault, every single one of them...I'm not a good man, Aliya." His eyes were focused on the blanket, pointedly not looking at her, while she frowned at him.

"Please don't start with that again, Doctor, what happened happened, just leave it," Aliya said quietly, not wanting to let herself or him get too worked up over it. But he didn't let it go, he turned to look at her with anger burning in his eyes.

"I didn't ask you to die for me!" He shouted sharply, "You had no right to do that."

Aliya didn't know whether to be disbelieving that he was acting the way he was or whether to wonder why she hadn't expected it. Over protective fool…her lip curled and her different coloured eyes narrowed so as to prove that there was no way he was going to just tell her off like she was a child.

"Oh, I'm sorry," She said, indignant fury rising inside of her as she crossed her arms, "Just let me apologize for saving your life, shall I?"

"Don't try and act like the noble hero, Aliya," The Doctor said, looking distinctly unimpressed and irritated, "Putting your life on the line for the sake of saving me isn't noble, it's selfish."

"How in the name of Rassilon is it selfish?" Aliya shot him a glare. She was not pleased by his ridiculous attempt at a lecture. "I didn't die, so why does it matter? A broken rib is manageable."

"Because one day, you're going to take a bullet for me that will kill you." His voice had become deathly quiet, only just audible for her ears, but the power, authority and certainty in his voice didn't waver.

"I'm willing to take that risk," She answered without hesitation, the challenge in her voice eminent and strong.

"Well I'm not!" He bellowed, and despite her resilience, she flinched briefly. "No one should die for me, not anyone, especially not River, and _especially _not you!"

"River already has," She said coolly, "And I believe it's my choice. And why did you make out that I had priority over River?"

"I never said that you had priority over River," He retorted, but ground his teeth while avoiding her gaze.

"Perhaps not in so many words, but it was implied. Care to explain?" She waited.

Eventually he took a deep breath and did his best to do as she'd asked. "River means…so much to me, Aliya, more than you know. And I know that the more times I meet her, the worse that is going to get. I can only imagine how it's going to feel when I…when I see her for the last time." He paused for a long time, and she raised an eyebrow.

"But…?" She offered, ducking her head to try and see his face only for him to suddenly look up.

"But…the Time Lords left a hole in my head, a huge gaping hole of black…nothingness. And it hurts. You're the only thing that can begin to fill that hole. Without you, that hole is going to eat me, all I'm going to have is an empty, hollow mind." He whispered, and she bit her lip, her mind reeling with hundreds of different thought tracks.

"But without River, you are going to have broken hearts that won't stop burning," She reminded him solemnly, and again he looked away from her.

"There isn't anything I can do about that," The Doctor's voice was suddenly forced, choked by some kind of grief. "Your life is still in flux, I can keep you safe."

"I can keep myself safe, I am a grown woman, Theta," Aliya reminded him, her voice calmer as she decided in her own head that the heated part of the argument was over. She was wrong.

"I don't care, from now on, you have to start recognizing my authority on this ship, and do as I say, no matter where we are, or what it is, do you understand, Aliya?" His eyes rose to lock onto hers, and she made sure that hers gave away nothing.

"Perfectly," She said with mildness that caused him to look surprised, "You want to tell me what to do, to have me become one of those little humans who obeys your every command and runs errands and lets you rescue them whenever they run into trouble." He sensed her sarcasm and waited for the response he knew he was going to get. "And I don't even think I need to say how I feel about that."

"That was not a request, Aliya, that, was an order," The Doctor felt the anger swelling again, the need to both yell at her and protect her colliding.

"Well I can tell you where you can shove your orders-" She retorted hotly, not letting herself be intimidated by him. His face twisted in anger and before she knew it, he was out of the seat, standing away from her, livid.

"Need I remind you, Aliyanadevoralundar, that this is _my _TARDIS!" He shouted, "Not your TARDIS, or our TARDIS, _my _TARDIS! You are a guest here, as much as any companion has been, and I am at perfect liberty to make you leave whenever I choose to do so! You're treading on shaky ground, Aliya…" He took a deep breath, calming himself. "Remember your place." He shot her a look before storming out of the room, and she called after him, annoyed at her inability to follow.

"Where are you going?"

"To find River," His voice was harsh and not that far away, "She'll be hanging around this galaxy or the next somewhere, because even _she _is not so…" He seemed to not be able to find a word that could describe her as he wanted to, as he walked away.

Aliya lay back on her pillow, mind truly processing what had just happened. She groaned, biting her lip as it crashed over her in an almost suffocating wave. She had taken it too far, the way she always did, he was right, she forgot that she was disposable if he decided she was, she had become too sure of her position here.

"You idiot," She murmured, but was unsure if she was talking about him or herself. Probably both. She was lucky to have the broken rib and couldn't be moved, if she hadn't, he may have even evicted her then and there.

Glumly, she picked the remote and chose a random movie, one classified under 'James Bond', and started watching it, doing her best to concentrate on the movie and not listen out for the footsteps of the Doctor return, which did not come.

At least, not for three hours.

* * *

The Doctor stormed out of the TARDIS doors and into the corridor outside River Song's Stormcage holding cell. She looked up from her diary expectantly and gave him his favourite sultry smile.

"Hello Sweetie," She said calmly, and was only mildly surprised when instead of going to release her, he merely sonicked the door open before sitting on the end of her bed, expression dark. "What's wrong?" She was genuinely concerned, putting the diary to the side so that she could scoot closer to him.

"You just met us for the first time…Aliya took a bullet for me. We got into an arg- no, argument is too much of an understatement – we got into a fight, and let me tell you, River, she is ridiculously stubborn and resilient for a woman with a broken rib." He said seriously, looking at her with a solemn expression.

"What were you fighting about?" She asked, covering his hand with hers, lacing their fingers together, and his eyes fell to their joined hands.

"About the fact that she is so willing to die for me," He said, feeling the words leave a sour taste in his mouth.

River nodded knowingly. "Oh, yes, I was wondering when the two of you had that conversation." He looked at her, a slight question in his eyes. "Sweetie, her and I talked about this once…she's never just going to stand by and watch you die, and sooner you accept that and move on to trying to keep yourself out of harm's way, for her sake if not for anyone else's, the happier we'll all be."

He was silent for a few minutes, internalizing the situation over and over while she patiently waited. Eventually, and reluctantly, he said, "Perhaps you're right."

"Of course I'm right," She said certainly, and he looked up and smiled. "Now, are we going to go anywhere, or are we just going to sit around in this cell all night? Though, frankly, either is fine by me," She waggled her eyebrows at her own suggestion, and he smirked before kissing her passionately, twining his fingers through the incredible hair he loved so much.

When he pulled away, he grinned at her as he tugged on her hand, leading her out of the cell and into the blue box.

"Now, Doctor Song, where would you like to go?" He offered with a large grin as he raced around the console.

"Everywhere," She said with a grin, before casting a look to the stairs. "Is Aliya in here?"

"Yeah, somewhere, but she's not going anywhere…tonight, River, it's about us and the entire universe that's at our fingertips."

Five minutes later, they were racing out of the TARDIS, ready to explore the planet they had just landed on, and perhaps fall that little bit more in love along the way.

* * *

Aliya had just finished her second James Bond movie when she heard the unmistakable footsteps of the Doctor approaching. She gulped and snuggled further into her blanket, waiting. He appeared from around the couch, an unsure smile on his face.

"Hello again," He said awkwardly.

"Hi."

"Look, about before, how I acted…I'm sorry," The Doctor said slowly, and she sighed in relief.

"I'm sorry too," She said quietly. "I just…You can't expect me to just stand by and let you die."

"No…but…" He swallowed before looking up again. "Here's a deal. I'll try to look after myself more, and in return, you think of and use _all _alternatives before attempting anything that puts you in danger."

Aliya nodded. "Alright." He smiled.

"Good, now, what movies have you been watching?" He asked curiously, and she shrugged.

"These two about a guy called James Bond, filled with more explosions and car chases than necessary…" She commented dryly, and he nodded excitedly.

"Ha! Those are classics. Now, I was thinking we could watch the Back to the Future series…" He grabbed the remote and tauntingly smiled when she shot him an inquisitive eyebrow. "You'll like them, they're about time travel and wounds in time…"

"Earth movie about time travel," Aliya replied slowly, a smug grin settling on her face, "I could use some comic relief."

"Now, Aliya, be nice…" He warned, but couldn't stop smiling. She poked out her tongue as the movie started and he leaned back against the couch.

The atmosphere in the TARDIS was calm again.

The question was how long it would stay that way.

* * *

River turned over blearily as she woke up on her cell bed, curling in a ball while pulling the blanket around her tighter. She tried to ignore the irritating chant that wouldn't leave her ears alone, and when she finally opened her eyes and sat up, she saw a blonde woman leaning against a large blue box in the corridor.

"River…River….oh, what do you know, she's awake," Aliya said with a grin, cutting off from the chants of the archeologist's name to return to normal speech. Weeks had passed for her and the Doctor since meeting the earliest version of River, and her rib was half-healed, enough so that she could walk without difficulty.

"Early morning calls now?" River asked with glinting eyes, excitement already building within her.

"Please, like he doesn't come and steal you away in the middle of the night when I'm asleep," Aliya said knowingly, despite the fact that she didn't sleep often.

River winked and swung out of bed as Aliya held out her sonic, the door swinging open so that the prisoner could exit.

"Not going to change?" Aliya inquired as she eyed River's nightie and robe dubiously, and River's eyes twinkled with cheeky amusement as the two of them crossed to the blue box.

"Now, where would I get my fun if I didn't render him speechless and embarrassed on a regular basis?" River's comment got an approving laugh from her friend as the two of them entered the TARDIS. When she was met with the sight of an empty console room, she raised an eyebrow. "Where is the man of the hour, anyway?"

"Planning something," Aliya replied flatly as the two of them went up the small set of stairs to stand on the console platform, "And I don't really want to ask."

Before River could reply a voice they knew too well beat her to it.

"So little faith in me, Aliya," The Doctor said as he descended the stairs with a large grin, "Perhaps I should be offended."

"Don't bother," Aliya retorted, and he smirked before wrapping River in an enthusiastic hug.

"Hello, River," He said, beaming, and Aliya got a glimpse of his elated expression.

_Wow, _She thought, _He is so far gone for her._

And with that thought came the next thing that had been ebbing in her mind lately, and she knew that today was the day to do it, the day when both of them were so happy to see each other. But before she could say anything, the Doctor let go of River only to grin at both blondes.

"Well, I've got my girls, let's go!" He announced, and Aliya raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry, 'your girls'? _She's-" _Aliya gestured to River, "-your girl, I'm currently unspoken for, thanks." He shrugged nonchalantly.

"However you want it," He said reasonably, going to turn away from her, "Now, are you women ready for what I have planned?"

Aliya coughed and he turned to look at her expectantly. "What?"

"I'm going to sit this one out, Doctor," She said slowly, and confusion flooded his features.

"What do you mean? Why?" He did his job of closely studying her face while wearing an intense frown, but she placed her palms on his chest and pushed him away lightly.

"Doctor, as all three of us are aware, I am a gooseberry here. You two deserve some time away from the annoying tag-along friend. So, drop me off somewhere, and come back once you've made the most of your alone time." Aliya said simply, and the Doctor and River exchanged a look.

"As much as I like the sound of that, Aliya, don't feel like you have to do that…" River began, but the other woman held up a hand and shut her up.

"Maybe, maybe not, but it is the polite thing to do, and frankly, after all the Doctor has told me about Midnight, a planet made of diamond that also has a leisure spa, how is a girl like me supposed to resist?" Aliya shrugged, and River nodded, understanding.

"True…" She said, "Sometimes I escape Stormcage just to find a decent spa…"

"Well, okay, if that's how you want it…" The Doctor said, not adverse to the idea, but merely a little taken aback.

"Yep," She nodded and the three of them set to work piloting the TARDIS together, and because of the extra number of pilots, the flight path was much smoother than the usual rickety ride they would have to endure. When it was finished materializing, the three of them went to the door.

"27th century, Midnight," The Doctor told her as he opened it to reveal a beautiful, polished interior of the Leisure Palace. "Knock yourself out." Aliya nodded happily as she stepped out of the box and into the magnificent room.

"I plan to…now, don't hurry back, take as long as you like," She instructed firmly as she looked between both of them. "Remember, it's going to be the same length of time for me, no matter how long you are away, so for goodness sake, make the most of it!"

"Oh, we will," River said suggestively, looking between the Doctor and Aliya, the former who looked mortified, the latter who just smirked. The Doctor pulled out a small silver stick and put it in Aliya's hand.

"Credits," He explained under her quizzical look, "To pay for the spa treatments." She thanked him and stepped back. "I'll see you soon."

She nodded and watched as the box disappeared before turning around and trying to locate the Reception.

* * *

Aliya reclined on one of the chairs, a mask of some kind of revitalizing goo covering her face, enjoying the small but intricate sensation of the Midnight sun coming through the ultra-thick wall of glass. She couldn't remember when she had last felt so relaxed.

"Excuse me, can I sit here?" Aliya turned to see a woman in her late thirties with red hair indicating to the recliner next to her.

"Sure, go ahead," Aliya said brightly, thinking that it may be nice to have company, even one of a complete stranger. As the woman – dressed in a fluffy white robe that was identical to her own – sat down, she looked at Aliya with an almost amused expression.

"You know what? How about introductions? I could use a friend around here, since my mate's gone off without me," She said with a kind smile, but with a hint of attitude that Aliya instantly liked.

"Sure, I could use a friend here too," The blonde replied, mirroring the woman's smile. The red head held out her hand in greeting.

"I'm Donna, Donna Noble."

* * *

**Also, considering how close we are getting to 500 reviews (still in shock, you guys are so amazing), there shall be a reward for whoever gives me the 500th review. I think it shall be...a sort of tribute piece, whatever you like at your request and dedicated to you...yes, that should do just fine. So if you want to ask anything of me, I suppose you'll just have to either leave lots of reviews to try...or just try your luck!**

**Thank you all, and I hope that you'll let me know what you thought of the chapter in a review.**

**-MayFairy :)**

**p.s. Hope the River thing made sense, at least for now. It gets explained a bit more later, and is explained properly in the epilogue, though I can't say how!**


	36. Getting to Know Each Other

**Oh my lord...I never actually intended to finish this today, just to make progress...but then I realised how close I was, so I kept going! **

**Considering that my last update was three and a half months ago...you guys definitely deserve this update. I am actually so sorry that it took this long, it shouldn't take this long again, because the reason for the delay was that two and a half months of those three and a half months were consumed by a kiriban for Mrs. 11th that simply snowballed and ended up being over 20,000 words. So, I have not been idle in my hiatus, merely very very busy. I wouldn't expect an update on this for at least three weeks, though, as I have to compose a piece of music for school, and then I'm going to Australia for ten days. Also, I should probably work on Past of an Angel (though a new chapter of Precipitant Reunion is up, if you're interested!), though we'll see. **

**This is where the story gets good. It's where the Doctor/River really kicks up (though there was supposed to be way more DRiver in this than there is, but I did an AU version of First Night/Last Night which took up more room than I anticipated, but no matter, it simply means lots more DRiver in the next chapter! Who knows, it may be a whole chapter of it, we shall see...), and all this epic stuff is going to go down. :D Which will spur on my muse, naturally.**

**Thanks to all who reviewed, supporting me through my huge break from this story: Lightwolfheart, kie1993, prettygal456, SuperFunkyGirl1, Jesseirei, Spirit-of-the-Rain, Akiza1, sazyboo, ZackAttack96, i-is-monstarr-RAWR, readandwrite4evernever, Mrs. 11th, toavoidconversation, LilleAntoinette, Sapphire Smith, AliyaDoctor forever (love the name, BTW), nattie, ilovemedia18, LaserScrewdriver, GoodWolf1011, and Caligo Origuu, who only R & Red yestersay, so had not had to wait very long at all. :P **

**That's *counts* 21 reviews on one chapter, which is amazing, so thank you so much, all of you! Even though I bet half of you won't review this time because it's taken so long... :P **

**Replies to unsigned reviews will be at the bottom of the page. **

**I should stop talking, you all want to read the chapter! And it has a few tasty teaser tidbits in it too...and a brief appearance from Ten. :D **

**Enjoy! **

* * *

Aliya had to use every ounce of her self-control to prevent her mouth falling open in surprise or an excited squeak coming out of her mouth. From what she had heard about Donna, it would not go well.

The Doctor had mentioned Donna several times, of course, but Aliya did not know much about the woman apart from her terrible fate, the very reason that the Doctor didn't like to talk about her. But the Doctor had always made Donna sound so special, so completely individual, that Aliya had always felt a longing to meet her. But knowing of the impossibility, she had quickly shoved the thought out of her mind until this moment. And how brilliant that it was entirely the Doctor's fault, and not her own? She got to spend time with _the _Donna Noble.

Realising that if she didn't answer soon she would seem a little abnormal, she blinked and thought about what Donna had actually said.

"Ali, Ali…" Aliya trailed off, realising that she needed a last name. One popped into her head and it came out of her mouth before she could think about it. "Parker." Internally, she groaned. Jennifer Parker. It was those _Back to the Future _movies…she cursed the Doctor inwardly, though realised that it could have been a lot worse…she could have said 'McFly'. It would seem that her subconscious was not that stupid, something that came as a relief. And Ali was a lot safer than Aliya, in case Donna ended up relaying the information back to the Doctor.

"So, Ali Parker, are you from 'round here?" Donna asked, and Aliya shook her head.

"No, I just got a friend to drop me off…him and his girlfriend needed some alone time – my words, not theirs," She lay back, her head tilted back onto her chair. "What about you?"

"I'm here with my friend, but he ran off to check out some sapphire waterfall or something, so here I am." Donna shrugged, and raised her eyebrow when Aliya's eyes lit up at the mention of the waterfall like a child who had just heard that there was a real fairy in their garden.

"A sapphire waterfall, really?" She said quickly, eyes bright before looking down, embarrassed. "Sorry, I'm just really…I don't know, exactly. Why didn't you go?"

Donna smiled. "Four hours there and back? Why bother when there are people here supplying my every need? I don't get much pampering back home, and with all the running I've been doing lately, I think I deserve it."

"Well, when you put it that way," Aliya conceded with a chuckle, "Though if it were me, I probably still would have gone…but only because I live for sights like that."

"Traveller?"

"Oh yes."

"Same here…only I don't plan on stopping, ever."

"Who said that I planned on stopping either?"

The two women shared a look of complete, total understanding. There was silence for a few moments, until Aliya asked a question that she simply couldn't hold in.

"So, your friend, what's he like?" She couldn't help it, really, as the Doctor who had travelled with Donna had touched so many lives, yet she knew nothing about him.

"Skinny," The fact that 'skinny' was the first thing to come to Donna's mind made Aliya laugh, "And clever. And I don't mean 'little bit smart' clever, I mean, real, science-y, mathematical clever. Just don't tell him I said that, his ego really doesn't need to be fed any more than it already is, thanks." Donna was serious by this last point, and Aliya smirked. "But, superiority complex aside, he's brilliant. And I put him in his place whenever he gets too stuffy, anyway."

"Good for you, it sounds like someone needs to," Aliya said with a grin, and Donna looked pleased, as though she hadn't thought about it like that.

"Thanks. Nice to be appreciated once in a while," She said with a satisfied smile. "What's your friend like, then?"

Aliya considered her words carefully before replying, "Similar, actually, very similar…though his superiority complex doesn't exactly work on me, I usually just hit him on the arm and remind him he's not the only one who understands how the TARDIS works…" She trailed off to find Donna staring at her. Aliya immediately realised her mistake and swore loudly in Gallifreyan before biting her lip, waiting for Donna to say something.

"You said, 'TARDIS'," The red head said slowly, "Do you know the Doctor, is he your friend, or something? Hold on…do you know that River Song woman?"

"Yes, actually," She replied, "Though in River's case, she and the Doctor just meet in the wrong order constantly, whereas I'm…oh, I can't believe I was so careless as to let that out…I'm, well…simply from your Doctor's future."

"Is she, that River woman, the girlfriend you mentioned?" Donna's voice was almost wary, and Aliya laughed.

"Yes," She said with a large smile, "She gives him a run for his money, that's for sure."

"I think I was too busy being somewhere between confused and jealous when I met her to notice…but she did get him rather tongue-tied!" Donna admitted, and Aliya had to admire her honesty.

"She does that," Aliya shrugged, "Frankly, between me and her, I almost feel sorry for him sometimes!"

"So…" Donna drew out the syllable, a newly thoughtful and almost sly expression on her face, "What's he like, in the future? How are you even here, anyway? I would have thought there would be some kind of rule against that."

"There is…it was just a mistake, he dropped me off at a time that happened to be when you were here…still, it's most definitely against all the basic rules of Time."

"Well, it's like Back to the Future, isn't it? You can accidentally change something and rewrite history by accident." Donna said somewhat excitably, and Aliya grinned, feeling proud that she understood the reference.

"Well, I'm not entirely sure about history, but something could be altered, yes. So if you see him coming, let me know, would you?" Aliya said unsurely as she eyed the room they were in with suspicion.

"Is he not allowed to see you, or something?" Donna had again impressed Aliya by her ability to guess the basic laws of time travel, and the blonde nodded.

"Time could probably hold it, it wouldn't be too risky, but in a case like this, it's best to play on the safe side," Aliya said solemnly, stretching out on the chair.

"I suppose so…" Donna said with a shrug before eyeing the other woman with curiosity, "But you didn't answer my question. What's he like in the future?"

"He's...bipolar," Aliya said unsurely as she tried to think of something that wasn't full of 'spoilers', "So childish one moment, insisting bowties are cool, and the next he'll be shouting down aliens who have done wrong, or just sitting on the jump seat, his eyes so far away that I wonder if I could ever reach him."

"Apart from the bowtie part, he doesn't seem to have changed much. Why bowties, where did _that _come from?" Donna asked with a fond laugh, and she smirked when Aliya simply shrugged passively. "Has he mentioned me? You didn't recognise me, so you must have arrived after I left, but you seem to know that I travelled with him."

Aliya shook her head slowly while being sure to keep her eyes from betraying any information that could alert Donna to her future. "He hasn't said much about you," She admitted, "Just that you were his best friend, that you were brilliant, and that you were the most important woman in the whole of creation." Donna's eyes widened momentarily before shifting into scepticism.

"Even for the Doctor, that seems to be stretching it a bit," She said flatly, "I'm a _temp, _from _Chiswick." _

"Your job doesn't define you," Aliya said seriously, "I was a vehicle engineer , but that was just a job, it's travelling that I love. But your relationship with him, what's it like?"

"Why do you want to know?" Donna frowned, "I mean, it's fine, I suppose…we get along really well…even if I do get a bit snippy with him. Why, what's yours like?"

The question made Aliya think for several seconds at top speed. What was her relationship with her Doctor like? They cared about each other, and they were best friends…but they also fought a lot, and constantly got on each other's nerves, more than the Doctor and Donna ever had, by the sounds of it.

"Tenuous," Aliya settled on honesty and shot Donna a small smile. "I mean, he's the most important part of my life, and he's my best friend in the universe, but I get so worried…we're always arguing and getting on each other's nerves…the other day we had a fight so bad that I was sure he would have kicked me out of the TARDIS if I hadn't had a broken rib at the time." There was a pause, and the blonde woman pursed her lips. "Why am I telling you all this?" Aliya looked away abruptly as she frowned, cheeks pink, while she pretended to be interested in the walls of the Leisure Palace.

"Because maybe you need to talk about it," Donna said gently in a compassionate tone that made Aliya turn back to her.

"How can I talk about it to you, someone from the past of my timeline, who can relay anything I say to the man I am talking about? Thank you, Donna, but I just can't," The Time Lady sighed. "But now that I've met you, Donna, I'm going to ask him about you, and make him tell me everything."

Donna nodded before staying silent for several moments, her mind clearly whirring. "Has he told you a lot about his past?"

"I know a fair bit…" A mischievous grin stretched across Aliya's face as the idea came into her head, "More than enough to make your Doctor squirm with embarrassment."

A thrilled grin began to creep onto Donna's face. "Seriously? You can tell me stuff that will make him absolutely speechless?"

"Speechless and then some."

"Well then what are you watching for?" Donna said quickly, "Spill!" Aliya laughed at her gossip-y eagerness and did as she was told.

"He once kidnapped two teachers, and because he was so inept at the flying the TARDIS back then, they didn't get home for two years," The blonde woman revealed as she and the red-head leant their heads closer together. Donna's eyes bugged.

"But he's so…peaceful," She said in quiet shock before chuckling. "What an old hypocrite!"

"Now, Donna, I don't know how or why it happened, so perhaps it's best not to judge," Aliya said seriously, but her eyes met Donna's and they both burst into laughter. "No, you're absolutely right, the Doctor is a hypocrite more than anything else."

"What else? Did he ever wear anything that I can tease him about? Anything embarrassing?" Donna's prompts hit a nerve in Aliya's brain that made her slap her own forehead in exasperation.

"Why didn't I think of that first?" She exclaimed with a chuckle, "The coat!"

"What coat?" Donna asked flatly.

"The rainbow striped one that is physically painfully on the eyes," The blonde woman smirked with satisfaction as amusement and triumph reigned in Donna's eyes. "Bring that one into conversation, I can guarantee some kind of reaction which will indicate that he wants no one in the universe to ever find out about it."

Donna frowned as if she were not sure that she could believe what she was hearing. "It was _that _bad?"

"It was _that bad_."

The two of them burst into hysterical laughter before launching into a lengthy discussion about the Doctor and his antics which lasted over an hour. Between them, there was enough material so that they were both crying with laughter. It was interrupted, however, when one of the workers of the palace brought Donna a ringing phone on a platter. They forced themselves to calm down as Donna took a deep breath and answered the phone.

"Hello?" She said curiously, "Hi, Spaceman." Aliya noticed how Donna's entire face would light up just through talking with him. The Doctor was truly her best friend, which only made the whole situation more tragic. "Yeah, I'm fine, what trouble have you been getting into? Waterfall shiny enough for you?" There was a pause and Donna's snarky confidence faltered. "Oh, I'm sorry. Well, you can tell me about it when you get back. Yeah. See you then."

Under Aliya's questioning eyebrow, Donna explained what had transpired of the conversation. "As expected of the intergalactic trouble magnet, their bus was attacked, and they had to have a rescue team deployed. They're on their way back now, but he doesn't sound too good."

"Is he hurt?" Aliya asked worriedly, panicking for a moment until she saw Donna shake her head.

"Nope, but he sounded pretty shaken up. Wonder what happened," The red head said, "Still, I can ask him when he gets here."

Aliya looked slightly glum at Donna's words. "If he's going to be here then I'll have to leave soon…it's a shame, I would have liked to have known you better."

"There isn't that much to know," Donna said humbly, "I'm just the ginger temp from Chiswick who travels around with a Time Lord in a box."

The blonde woman shook her head slowly, a gentle and encouraging smile spreading across her face as she gazed at the ginger opposite her. "Donna Noble, you are _so _much more than that." Donna looked disbelieving, though was obviously surprised by the sincerity in the Time Lady's eyes. "And I am _so _glad to have been able to talk to you."

"Yeah, it's been nice chatting with a fellow time traveller…he does get around a bit, the Doctor, doesn't he?" Donna contemplated. "Always picking up Earth girls and showing them the stars."

"You have _no _idea," Aliya said seriously as she thought back to the six Earth girls of the Doctor's she had met before the Time War: Zoe, Sarah Jane, Tegan, Peri, Mel and Ace. And those were just the ones she'd met personally, she was certain that there were about at least another ten additional ones she had only heard mentions of….

"If you're going to be leaving, is there anything you want me to say to him, or is it too dangerous?" Donna inquired with insightful thoughtfulness, and the question made Aliya pause.

It _would _be dangerous for her to risk saying anything that could potentially change the future…but something small couldn't hurt.

"Just…" Aliya thought for a moment, "Tell him that you made a friend, who says that she'll see him later, when everything's different."

"You're my friend now, are you?" Donna asked with a raised eyebrow, and Aliya merely shrugged.

"Thank you, Donna," She said with a slightly wistful smile, "It's been a real honour."

Donna didn't bother arguing this time, she simply smiled back and said, "Yeah. Thanks for all the stories, I can't wait to use them on him."

"You are so very welcome," Aliya laughed before getting up and preparing to leave. "Goodbye, Donna. It was wonderful to meet you."

"You too," The ginger replied with a cheerful nod, and she watched as the blonde walked away with an aura of something strangely close to sadness.

* * *

Aliya waited around the Leisure Palace, as the Doctor and River had not yet returned, and against her more rational reasoning, crept closer and closer to where she could hear Donna and her Doctor talking. It was simply too rare and wonderful an opportunity to pass up; Donna's Doctor was loved by so many, she had to see what he was like.

Hiding behind a pillar, she peered around and saw the back of Donna's head, talking to an incredibly attractive man with spiky brown hair. Aliya couldn't help but watch him with a strange wistfulness and fascination mixed with fondness as she saw aspects of older Doctors in him, particularly from the young blonde Doctor she had been so fond of.

The Doctor and Donna had been discussing the terrible events of the Midnight bus, but Aliya stiffened as the conversation turned to herself.

"So, what have you been up to, then?" The Doctor asked with innocent nosiness as food was served to them, "Ooh, chips, I love chips," He grinned while Donna just rolled her eyes. Aliya felt her hearts swell a little at the childish antics that were the reason she cared for the Doctor so much, the reason why despite everything, he was her best friend in the universe.

"I made a friend…one who says she knows you," Donna said wryly, and the words made the Doctor throw the chip into his mouth before frowning.

"Really? Who?" He asked curiously, and Donna shrugged.

"She said that she was from your future; she knew that River Song woman, or claimed to, anyway," The ginger said conversationally, and the Doctor's interest perked considerably as he sat up in his chair and leaned forward.

"She knew Professor Song?" Donna nodded while he sat there with his eyebrows raised in surprise. "Funny that…it seems that my future self has no qualms whatsoever about letting the females in his life run rampant over my timeline, if River Song and this-" He stopped briefly. "- sorry, what was her name?"

"Ali Parker," Donna replied helpfully before eating a chip, and the Doctor nodded gratefully before continuing on his tangent of words.

"Right, so if this 'Ali Parker' _and _River Song both are able or allowed to pop back and see me at any time they like, either I've gone old, stupid, soft, or some combination of the three." The Doctor finished before frowning again as he thought about the name he had just been given. "Hold on-" Something struck him, "-I know an Ali Parker….Blonde, short hair, eyes slightly different colours?"

Donna nodded again. "That's the one, Time boy. You met her already or something?"

"Yeah, long while ago, back before I ran into you again, back before _Martha_…" His hand went to the back of his head and through his hair as he thought about it, "After I lost Rose, I think. Goodness, that was a while ago, I'm having trouble remembering." His expression had turned softer at the mention of Rose's name.

Despite the burning curiosity to stay and possibly hear more about Rose, or simply to see and hear him do anything, Aliya forced herself to turn around and walk away a quickly as she could, because she knew that she would hear spoilers for her own future otherwise. Though it would seem that she would be meeting this Doctor properly, something could not in any way be good.

And because of the well timed exit she made, she never heard the end of their conversation.

"Ali Parker…" The Doctor said with nostalgic thoughtfulness, "The crying woman in the rain. How did she end up here?"

* * *

Aliya sat in the lobby of the Leisure Palace after getting another spa treatment and waited for her ride to pick her up. Just when she was getting frustrated, papers in the lobby began to rustle as the wheezing noise filled the room and the big blue box appeared. The Doctor – her Doctor, clad in the wonderfully familiar bowtie and tweed – sauntered out with his usual swagger and waggled his eyebrows.

"Is there a Miss Aliya here awaiting pick up?" He asked cheekily, and he grinned at Aliya before hugging her energetically. When they pulled away, River was alongside them, looking particularly beautiful and strangely happy, something that only became more prominent when she shared a beaming smile with the Doctor.

Aliya looked between them suspiciously. "Alright you two," She said, grinning slyly, "What is it, what have you two done?"

River bit her lip excitedly before holding up her hand to show the gleaming object on her fourth finger while the Doctor looked weirdly pleased with himself.

"We're getting married," He announced, and Aliya felt her jaw drop in surprise before a grin began to infect her face. The three of them ended up in a massive three-way hug, with congratulations being enthusiastically lavished on by the Time Lady at the centre.

One thing was for certain; this wedding was not going to be at all quiet or modest.

* * *

_Four months earlier, for the Doctor…_

* * *

Having dropped Aliya off and being handed the pleasant surprise of proper privacy, a new and slightly more intimate idea began to form in the Doctor's head as he watched River. He grinned at her while a new form of mischief danced in her eyes.

"Well," River said slowly, with that look in her eyes that made the Doctor feel as though she was undressing him in her mind, the look that just made him want to squirm with embarrassment, "This _is _an interesting turn of events. I have you all to myself."

In an attempt to discourage her obvious intent, he steered the subject to a much safer region.

"How's Stormcage?" He asked casually, and she shrugged as she stepped onto the console platform.

"I'm on the 503rd night of four hundred consecutive life sentences…same as ever, I simply nip out when I get bored," River talked of leaving prison as though she were referring to a house she lived in, a quality the Doctor always found terribly amusing for some strange reason he had never pinpointed.

"Four hundred, just for _attempting _to kill me?" He wasn't sure whether to find it disturbing or amusing how important the universe seemed to render him. "What would be given out if someone actually managed it?"

"I believe that they said somewhere between ten and fifteen thousand, though it was only a brief mention and I wasn't paying much attention anyway," River rolled her eyes before smirking at him in her usual way, "Don't you feel special."

"Actually, I feel as if the entire universe thinks a lot more highly of me than it should…" The Doctor frowned slightly before beaming at her once again. "But aren't you going to ask where we're going?"

"Alright then, where are we going?" She offered him placidly, and felt her heart warm when that spark of childlike excitement filled him as he began to launch into his long spiel about their destination.

"Calderon Beta, boring planet of the chip shops," The Doctor said, and the words didn't match the spark in his eyes until he continued, "But there's a four hundred foot tree growing out of a cliff-top on the North side of a mountain, in the middle of a sea, and if you take the lift to the top, and if you look up, at exactly twelve minutes past midnight on the 21st of September, 2360, you can see more stars in one sky than at any moment in the history of the universe. It's like daylight, only magic." He grinned before adding, "You could read a book by it."

River watched him avidly before replying suggestively, "Is it okay if I don't?"

He ignored her statement apart from his smirk. "We have ten minutes to get dressed."

"Oh, that's so close to the perfect sentence," interjected River as she grinned at him.

"Just run along to the wardrobe if you don't like the dress I picked out, you know where it is," He retorted, and she merely rolled her eyes before doing as he suggested.

"Of course I do," She said in a sing-song voice as she went, "Just past the helter-skelter!"

He watched her go, only to hear gunfire outside the doors and dash towards them. A second River squeezed through the gap, looking thoroughly drowsy and holding her favourite blaster.

"I knew you'd come back here, you nostalgic idiot…" She murmured, "Hold me!" With that overly dramatic exclamation, she lost consciousness in his arms. Resisting the urge to go into a teenager-like panic, he scooped her up and laid her on the floor of the console platform before leaning over her and trying to find the source of the problem.

"River? Are you okay, talk to me," He murmured urgently, as his hands travelled with no idea what to do, "Okay, um, um, okay, breathe, breathe, come on, got to keep breathing, uh…" He checked her airways but couldn't feel anything coming out, and lowered his lips until they were a hair's breadth from hers, and was about to give her mouth to mouth resusitation when he realised that she wasn't unconscious. "River…" He pursed his lips exasperatedly, "_You're holding your breath." _

Her eyes flicked open so quickly that he jumped up in surprise. She simply stayed on the floor, flexing her body as she shot him one of the most sultry looks he had ever seen.

"You're a fine one to talk about holding…" She purred, "How many hands have you got?"

He paid her no attention. "Get up! What are you doing?" He demanded as he flicked switches on the console, facing away from her, "Who's shooting at you?"

"Oh, just a couple of Sontarans chasing me halfway across the galaxy," She replied with irritable off-handedness, "I probably shouldn't have asked them whether they were on a hen night."

Her admission made his blood boil with what could only be anger but felt strangely different. "River, you can't do things like that!" He said forcefully.

"What? You've already had me banged up in jail for five years, what else are you going to do? Spank me?" She gave him _that _look again before turning on her heel to walk around the console, hips swaying as she went. But that was when she spotted the dress hanging up. "Doctor? Have you brought someone else here? Does anyone agree to wear that dress? Where is she?" She set off up the stairs determinedly, and he winced.

"River, think it through! And what makes you think that the dress isn't for Aliya, anyway?" He said rationally and she turned to face him, eyes stern.

"That dress is not her size in the slightest, she doesn't have the hips for it, so it must be for someone else. This happened another time I was here," River accused, "You brought someone else."

"No, I didn't!"

"Yes, you did, I heard you talking to her!"

"It's the same night!"

It was too late, she was gone and away down the corridors, but peace of mind would never be his because the first River has chosen that moment to show up again, a dress over her arm.

"Doctor? Were you talking to someone?" She asked curiously.

"No, no, just me," He said weakly, and she turned to go, though not without a second suspicious glance at him. Less than a second later, the second River appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Were you talking to someone?" The echo of her voice compared to her younger self was somewhat eerie for the Doctor to hear, but he replied with an almost identical answer.

"No, no dear, just me."

She warily turned and disappeared out of his sight again. He let himself breathe for a second, but he heard the exterior door open and spun to see a _third _River come through the doors, wearing the gold dress hanging up. He tried not to get distracted by the sight of her in it, as it hugged her hips and curves in all the right – _wrong _places, he corrected himself, thinking about River like that was not a good thing, certainly not.

This River had the confidence of a lioness stalking her prey as she advanced on him, an appropriately feline grin on her face as she did so. "You nostalgic idiot, you just can't keep away, can you?" He fumbled around and found his eyes desperately scanning the console room for a solution, but River, like her two selves before her, laid eyes on the dress hanging up. "Doctor? Why have you bought another one of these? Who else is here?"

The Doctor approached her, no words in his mouth but with the intent of finding some to speak regardless. Then, a distraction popped into his head, one that may give him another time to rectify the problem.

"River, could you check the light on top? I think the bulb needs changing…" He said seriously, and her expression turned to one of puzzlement.

"The bulb?" She repeated, and he just nodded, an encouraging noise in his throat. She eyed him weirdly before slowly retreating outside, just in time to miss the second River coming down the stairs.

"Who are you talking to?" She asked hotly for what seemed like the millionth time for the Doctor.

"You, I'm talking to you," He said, not bothering to elaborate, "Back to Stormcage, Doctor Song." He fiddled with his sonic as he pointed it at her vortex manipulator.

"Oh, at least give me a lift," River begged, "You know what this thing does to my hair."

"It's always like that."

She sighed and disappeared in a flash and the Doctor had just enough time to smile with satisfaction before the third River came through the doors again.

"The bulb's fine, I don't know what you're talking about…" Her confused statement was cut off by his own voice, oddly enough. Another version of himself came through the doors, dressed in a tuxedo and the top hat.

"No, River, wrong TARDIS, I'm parked around the back…younger version." He smirked at his younger self, who was oddly pleased and amused by the situation.

River looked between the two of them with wide eyes. "Two of you…the mind races, does it not?" The Doctor found himself chuckling ever so slightly. That was his River Song alright…virtuous as ever.

"Come on, we'll be late," Her Doctor chided her, and River was easily appeased.

"He's taking me to the Singing Towers of Darillium, he's been promising for ages. After all, if Aliya gets to spend so much time with that handsome Captain, I have to get _something_." She said as she left, and the Doctor frowned and shot a questioning look at his older self, mouthing 'Aliya and the handsome Captain?', to which his older self simply shrugged in a purposefully irritating way. Then the far more important part of River's sentence hit the younger Doctor and melancholy washed through him like a crashing tidal wave.

"When we first met her in the Library, when she…"

"Died, yes," The other Doctor put in, vaguely.

"She told us that the last time she saw us was at Darillium. Is that now?" His tentative words were met by a forced brave smile.

"Spoilers," The older Doctor said with a hint of irony, "Good luck tonight."

"You too."

"Yeah." The smile of forced bravery returned before the Doctor in the top hat walked out without saying another word.

The Doctor turned to see the youngest River – his River – coming up the stairs, now wearing a somewhat practical but attractive red 50's dress. She spotted the second Doctor leaving and gasped with unrestrained excitement.

"There's two of you! The mind races…" She breathed, and her Doctor smirked.

"You and your incorrigible brain, River," He said with strange fondness, and she winked at him.

"Most men in the universe dream of a woman with a brain like mine, Doctor…" She said loftily as she approached him, "Sometimes I feel wasted on you."

"And the other times?" Their faces were very close by that point, River's eyes glinting with mischief.

"Other times I'm reminded just how boring most men are," She murmured, her eyes locked with his as she spoke, and she fought the urge to laugh as he backed up against the console somewhat nervously, only for her to follow, "You are many things, Doctor, but boring isn't one of them."

He was trapped now, her hands planted on the edge of the console on either side of him, the seductive smile on her face as she delighted in his discomfort. Stuck, and with a brain full of completely nonsensical impulse, the Doctor settled on the only thing in his brain that made sense.

He grabbed her face and kissed her before she could kiss him. This resulted in her letting out a hearty laugh before enthusiastically joining in, her arms looping around his neck with lazy foolhardiness.

Some minutes later, when their clothing was slight askew and the Doctor's face had more lipstick than River's did, they pulled away. River, naturally, looked pleased with herself, and the Doctor's expression would lead any onlooker to believe that he had just averted a major crisis. Being River, this didn't bother or offend her in the slightest.

* * *

A while later, they lay on the platform at the top of tree on the top of the mountain in the middle of a sea and watched the sky.

The specks of darkness in-between the stars were so small and few that most of them appeared to be tricks of the light, and every star was like a diamond, twinkling with a priceless beauty that only the Doctor could ever afford, in a sea of space and sky and night and midnight all at once and forever in that one minute.

River's wide eyes roamed the endless heavens above her as wonder filled her heart. She found it hard to believe sometimes that with the entirety of space and time to choose from, the Doctor, the last Time Lord in the universe, would fall in love with her. It didn't make any sense, really, and this Doctor didn't even know that he did yet. Or if he did, he certainly wasn't sure about it. She didn't mind, because she knew that in time it would come, because she had already experienced it. But this…not everyone would see the meaning behind the gesture he had made by bringing her here tonight, but she could.

This moment, this minute of celestial beauty that had no comparison or duplicate, was singular in time. The Doctor could only visit it once in all of his lives, or else he would run into himself. And he had chosen to share this one minute with her, an archaeologist who had tried to kill him when they first met. Her, and no one else in the whole universe. Not that Rose Tyler girl, not the wonderful Donna Noble, or the infallible Amy Pond, or even Aliya. No, he had given this moment to her and her alone. To her, that said a lot more than any petty words or physical touches or suggestive glances ever could. She didn't deserve his love, that was plain in anyone's eyes with the things she had done, so she simply loved him in return because that was the only thing she had to offer him, and somehow…it was enough.

The Doctor wound his hand through River's, stealing glances over at her in-between his long stints of taking in the breath-taking sight above him that he would only be able to see once. Her eyes were fixated on the stars, though at one point she tore her gaze away to meet his eyes for a brief second, and he could see the stars dancing in her eyes as they exchanged a contented smile.

Of all the women in the universe, he wasn't sure why it was _her _that had such a hold over him. After all, she was not his type at all, she was violent and impulsive and was determined to better him in everything…actually, as he thought over it again, if the violent part was removed, she was exactly his type. He knew deep down that calm and compliant women had always held slightly less appeal.

He had fallen in love several times over the centuries…and only one of them had actually been gentle. There was Aliya, the one who had for centuries been 'the one who got away'. There was Jo, the sweet Earthgirl with just that tiny spark of bravery and fight in her that he had loved, the girl who had always been out of his reach, always too young and innocent for an old man like him. Romana, the spunky Time Lady who had, like River, always been determined to prove that she was smarter than him, only with more success. Rose had been the gentle one, the one who cared and fought for her family…but even she had had a fire in her he couldn't pretend to ignore.

But River blew them all out of the water. Her affinity with guns, rather than repelling him like they should have, simply filled him with a strange, adrenaline fuelled heat. Her knowing smirk whenever she knew something from his future teased him in a way he both hated and relished. The teasing, thrilling 'spoilers' that would roll off her tongue, offering promises of more adventures and mischief to come, promises of a timey wimey future. Hair unmatched by any in the universe, eyes so arrogant and caring at the same time, her soul tainted by the magic of time-travel, her own brilliance, and her confidence in herself.

There was no questioning it; River Song was born to be a time-traveller, born to be an adventurer who couldn't stay out of trouble, and above all, she was born to be loved by the only man in the universe who could match her.

Himself, obviously.

When the minute passed and the sky dimmed just a little, River rolled onto her side to stare at him.

"That was the most amazing thing I've ever seen," She breathed softly, her hand tracing the lines of his cheekbones as she gazed upon him with surprising tenderness.

"I know," He said with a smile, and while it sounded arrogant, she knew that it wasn't really, simply an obvious fact. "River…it's been centuries since I've said what I'm about to say to anyone, but here goes: River, I…I love you." The words were wobbly and unsure but she obviously didn't care because she was kissing him, for joy, for passion, for relief, he wasn't sure, he simply held her tighter because with River Song that was all you could do.

Finally, she pulled away, hair frizzier than usual and eyes brighter than he had ever seen them.

"I love you too, Sweetie, though I believe I've made it rather obvious."

"Just a bit," He agreed before kissing her again.

* * *

**Man, I hope you liked it! Doctor/River fluff and Donna/Aliya hilarity, what's not to like? (Well, that's the theory, anyway) **

**I see you guys later when I actually get around to updating this again! I'm in a rather Doctor/River-ish kind of mood, so that won't be hard! **

**Don't forget to leave a review and let me know what you thought, please! **

**-MayFairy :) **

**REVIEW REPLIES: **

Lightwolfheart:  Thanks! Midnight is one of my favourites too, despite the lack of Donna epic. Thanks! :)

AliyaDoctor forever: I'm so glad that you're enjoying it. To make it clear: The story/series will eventually be Aliya/Doctor. It will happen, I promise you. But I'm also a huge Doctor/River shipper, and just making it Doctor/Aliya would make no sense because the Doctor and River have this obvious relationship and it would just be stupid to pretend it doesn't exist, you know? That's a sort of pet dislike I have, how people just ignore River's existance/relationship with the Doctor. Also, having your OC fall in love with a canon character at the expense of another canon character who is with that character in canon, that's a BIG Sue factor. But thanks so much, it's nice to know that you want Doctor/Aliya so bad...and you're definitely not alone! But we know that River will die, so the Doctor/River can't go on forever...and Aliya has time. :)

nattie: That's so good to hear, reviews like yours really make my day, or are just good to go back and read for a nice ego-boost. Also, it's nice to think that I show flaws both in the Doctor and Aliya, and that you think she has a nice personality. Stuff like that is just GOLD to me, you know? :) And they are lovable...the Doctor, River and Aliya, the golden trio of the Whoniverse! (In my mind, anyway) Thanks so much for your awesome review!


	37. Timey Wimey Times

**I told you I would do it! It took me two months, but I did it! Sorry, but the muse just left me while I was in the middle of this adventure arc...which is all planned down to the last detail, so don't worry, I'm not going to get stuck like I did with the Zygon one, this one will just flow over into next chapter and finish up partway through there. I might have put more of it in this chapter, but I figured you guys deserved an update!**

**Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter: SuperFunkyGirl1, Jillian Mastrano 101, kie1993, goblindreamer, Mrs. 11th, Tipper dehavilland, Spirit-of-the-Rain, ilovemedia18, Akiza1, MySoxRockXD, Simpa007, Caligo Origuu, toavoidconversation, readandwrite4evernever20, Goodwolf1011, Fan, ZackAttack96, Marmalatta, Coyote Soupus, Undapper Thoughts, Rjalker, fanfreak4ever!**

**That's 22 reviews! Thank you so much, guys, you're all amazing :)**

**A special thanks to:**

**-Spirit-of-the-Rain, thank you for all your encouragement over the last couple of days, love you dearly!**

**-MySoxRockXD, your comment made me feel a bit better about my crappy updating! :)**

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* * *

The Doctor doubled checked his hair in the mirror that the TARDIS console was providing for him before swiping the bouquet of fluorescent flowers resting on the jump seat. He swaggered out of the police box doors into the bright sunlight.

A while back River had mentioned to him the visit he had made to her when she was at an archeological dig site that she and her archeology class from the Luna university were excavating. Naturally, his questions as to what transpired there were simply met with the usual smirk and 'spoilers', but she had been agreeable enough to divulge the date and location so that he would know where to find her when the day came.

So, after waking in a strangely whimsical mood, he decided that a romantic surprise visit was just what River deserved. He strode through the sandy terrain that covered the desert of Androzani Minor - a planet which he was not particularly fond of, as he had been forced to regenerate for the fifth time after getting poisoned there, and then companion Peri had almost died too. Why the archeologists were interested in it, he had no idea, but if River was here that was enough incentive for a visit.

In the distance he could see the archeologist's camp, and he made out for it. Upon arriving and attracting a few stares from bewildered students and professors, he immediately made a beeline for the mass of blonde curls that stood out from the crowd.

"Doctor Song, a handsome man wanted you to have these," He announced loudly, and she whipped around, a grin on her face.

"Oh really, Sweetie, and who was this apparently handsome yet probably idiotic man?" She retorted without missing a beat. He smirked at her in the way that he knew she liked.

"Myself, of course," The Doctor said, and she kissed him while snatching the flowers out of his hands. The moment they were in her grasp, she had pulled away and was sniffing the bouquet with deliberate interest, darting flirtatious glances at him.

"So I'm getting visits at school now, am I? You're the history expert, are you going to discipline me?" She waggled her eyebrows suggestively, and he gulped.

"Well, perhaps if you made a really big mistake, or-" The Doctor stammered, and River shot him a look.

"Doctor," Her eyes were dancing with mirth.

"Or perhaps if you were misbehaving, I would have to punish you," He altered, his voice a tone lower, and River laughed.

"Now that's more like it!" Just as she was about to take another step towards him and do stars know what, another voice cut it.

"River, this is a public place, you know," They both turned around to see a young Anita walking over to them.

"Ah, Anita! Good, always liked Anita..." The Doctor said enthusiastically, rubbing his hands together. River's eyebrow raised in only mild surprise as she looked between her two friends.

"You've already met?" The idea seemed to amuse her, or perhaps it was simply the confused expression on Anita's face.

"Spoilers," The Doctor said with the same teasing smile that she used whenever she said the same word to him, and she laughed.

"Alright, my love, I'll wait," River said compliantly, "Goodness knows we're both used to it."

"So this is your boyfriend?" Anita eyed the Doctor with both curiosity and skepticism. "The one you always talk about?"

"I'm the Doctor, nice to meet you," He shook her hand cheerfully and she nodded, smiling a little.

"Okay, well I'll leave you guys to it," She smirked and walked off, and the Doctor stared after her before he realized that River had her diary out. He removed his own and they sat down, flipping through the pages.

"Alright, have you done America?" The Doctor probed, and her eyes lit with anticipation before she shook her head.

"Ooh, no, how exciting!" She said before picking her own question. "Asgard?"

The Doctor grinned. "Yes."

"It was gorgeous, wasn't it?" The blonde woman sighed as she remembered the picnic fondly.

"Yes, it definitely was," He agreed, "Howland Island?"

"Yes!" River said excitedly, her eyes lighting up at the memory, "Aliya's hat!"

They both burst out laughing. "'There's children around!'" The Doctor quoted jokingly and they laughed harder.

"Oh, that was fun," River said after she had calmed down somewhat, "Have you done the Galactic Cruiseship yet?"

His eyebrows lifted in curiosity. "No...sounds interesting."

"It was," River said quietly, but her suddenly serious eyes suggested that it was one of the dangerous or disheartening adventures. Instantly he was filled with dark anticipation as he wondered what lay in his future.

"Well, I think that we have a general enough idea," The Doctor said after a long pause.

"Yes, Sweetie," River nodded. "So, are you here to help me?"

"If you like," He replied with a small smile. "What do you need help with?"

"I'll show you," She said with a grin, and tugged him over to an underground plan which showed various caverns. "You see, we know from local history that there was a base down here that was once occupied by a mad man who did deals with the government of Androzani Major, the twin planet, but we can't get down there to try and work out what happened or who this mad man was."

The Doctor's eyes were solemn as he regarded the map. "His name was Sharaz Jek," He said, and then grinned at River. "And if I can find the right entrance, I believe I remember the way."

A surprised but elated grin spread across the archeologist's face. "Oh, I could kiss you."

"Let me find the entrance first," He answered with a smirk, and the two of them gathered supplies before setting off into the distance.

Ten minutes later, the Doctor could see River's impatience.

"Now, River, I was here over 500 hundred years ago, please cut me some _slack_," The Doctor told her crossly before his mood shifted and he let out an exclamation of excitement. "Yes! I specifically remember this place, this was where the TARDIS landed…those are the mud holes, and this is where I carried her back to the TARDIS….yes, I know where to go from here." He swaggered off.

"What were you doing when you were here last? That man - Sharaz Jek, you said. Did you know him?" River asked as he followed her.

"Know him? Well, I suppose so…imagine the Phantom of the Opera, but instead of musical talent and an opera house, there was android building and a Spectrox refinery." The Doctor explained as they walked across the sand, his head darting to make sure he was on track.

"So…he was a disfigured genius?" River deducted, her eyebrows rising. "Obsessed with a beautiful young woman?"

"Exactly, he was a total madman! Mind you, he did save our lives…"

"But…who was the woman? Did you know her?"

"Think about it River…who do I predominantly travel with?"

"Attractive young female…_oh._ Which one was it? I'm not sure if I have pictures of all of them in my diary…" She began flicking through the back.

"Perpugilliam Brown…" He looked over her shoulder and pointed to the girl with the short brown bob and charming smile. "That's Peri there. Jek was infatuated with her, but ultimately did everything he could to save her."

"Save her? Did she die?" River felt suddenly felt concern, but she couldn't see grief in his features, just a slightly set jaw.

"She was close, but I died that day, not her." He admitted before pulling her into a cavern and into the underground. "Come on, I'll tell you the story, it's a good one…you see, we'd just left Turlough and Peri had only just come with me when we landed here…"

* * *

"I can't remember the last time I did this," The Doctor commented thoughtfully as he toyed with strands of River's hair, her head in his lap as she was stretched out on the couch in one of the TARDIS's living rooms. She was quite young this time, but he found it strangely endearing.

"Did what?" River asked absently. "Watch Indiana Jones? Or cuddle with someone?" The Doctor's eyes flicked to the whip-wielding man on the screen and he smiled faintly.

"Well, no…well, both, actually," He chuckled slightly and River laughed with him, "Though I was referring to the cuddling part. I mean, even _saying _it just sounds strange when it's being used with me."

"I disagree, I think you're very cuddle-able," River smirked as she smiled up at him, her grey eyes warm and teasing.

"River, that's not even a real word."

"You make up words all the time!"

"Excuse me, no I do not – actually maybe I do a bit," He admitted reluctantly, his fingers slightly brushing her forehead as he smoothed away curls of her golden hair.

She laughed a little before her curiosity got the better of her. "So who was the last person you did this with?"

"I think it was Rose," His voice was quiet and she didn't reply for several seconds. She had heard of Rose, of course, and had the girl's picture in her diary, but had never heard about her in detail. "But that was different…it wasn't like this."

"Good different or bad different?" River tested lightly, and he shrugged while his eyes showed that he knew she was only joking.

"Different different," He replied with an air of vagueness as he pulled her to be sitting on his lap and against the arm of the sofa. "I never kissed Rose Tyler…not properly. And I have definitely kissed you, River Song." He tapped her lightly on the nose.

"And you loved her, didn't you?" River said solemnly, watching his eyes because she already knew it to be true, and not being surprised when he didn't deny it.

"In a different way," He said slowly, "She saved me from myself. She picked up a broken, war-torn, lonely man and made him better. And while perhaps she wasn't the only one in the universe who could have done it…she still did it. Rose became my entire world, and when she was ripped away from me, I nearly lost myself all over again. But then I realized that she had healed me…and that I could live with myself and keep going. But you, River, are something else entirely."

River raised her eyebrow coyly. "Oh really? And what am I?"

He stared at her as a mischievous twinkle began to bloom in his eye. "Hell in high heels." She laughed heartily and flung her leg up from the couch so as to have her stiletto covered foot in the air where he could see it. "But I like bad girls…and you, River Song, are definitely a bad girl." River shifted so that her legs were either side of his, and her hands held his face, eyes boring into his.

"What are you going to do? Spank me?" She waggled her eyebrows and he groaned exasperatedly.

"No," He said with a knowledgeable smirk, his hands running up her arms and neck to delve into her hair before kissing her. Suddenly he didn't want to tease her, he wanted to cherish her. The talk of Rose had made him realize just how much River had saved him too, and just how much he really did love her.

His lips continued to brush hers gently, his fingers going to her temples. He wasn't able to do as much as he would be able to do with a fellow Time Lord, but she could still feel certain feelings that he could show her. He let every bit of emotion and love and sentiment that he had for her pour into her head and she started, pulling away from him to watch him with wide eyes.

"I felt you," She said in a whisper, "What you feel for me."

"Of course you did…you're brilliant and I'm a Time Lord," He said with a smile that was so beautiful to her that it outrivaled the sun, "And I love you, River Song, more than I've ever loved anyone in my life. And believe me…that is no small matter."

"And I love you more than I thought it was possible for a human heart to love," River said, almost in tears after being overwhelmed by what she had seen in his mind, "You have two hearts to hold it all in…I only have one and it's going to burst, I'm sure of it."

He smiled so gently as his eyes watched her with more tenderness than she had ever seen in him. "It's okay," He whispered as he pulled her face back to his, "I'm a Doctor."

She gave a strange laugh crossed with a sob as he kissed her again, holding her to him as he tried to bring her as close as he possibly could. He couldn't get enough of any part of her, not the taste or the feel or the smell of her, no matter how much his hands and mouth tried to quench his thirst. Against every fibre of his will, he briefly pulled away from her.

"River…have you…done this…with me…" He felt himself trail off awkwardly, which was ridiculous considering his age, but he couldn't help it.

She shook her head slowly, but not shyly. "Have you?" He also shook his head, and a huge smile broke out on her face. "For once…we have the same first…Doctor, I'm not telepathic, but I can show you that I love you just the same."

The Doctor took her hands and stood up with her, his eyes full of every wonderful emotion she could think of. "River…would you like to see my room?"

"Finally, the perfect sentence," She joked lightly before letting him lead her out of the room and through the corridors before stopping outside a simple door with the circular carving in it. Inside was a cluttered room with bookshelves on every wall, but the Doctor didn't give her a chance to look around as he laid her on the bed.

"River...I haven't done this with anyone for...well, decades," He said shyly, his face just above hers, but she merely smiled at him and held his face in her hands.

"It's okay, sweetie."

"It's just, I might be a bit out of practice, you humans really are much more into this kind of thing than Time Lords are-"

Determined to stop him before he got too flustered and worked up - regardless of how adorable she found it - River quickly kissed him as a means of silencing him. Soon, he was enthusiastically kissing her back while their hands explored each other with curiosity and need, and for the first time in a very long time, the Doctor truly felt loved, and truly felt as though he was not alone.

* * *

The blue police box materialized out of thin air and a Time Lord in a bowtie stepped out of it.

"Well, Sexy, where are we this time?" He asked as he took a little look around. A logo was printed on the opposite wall a little way down, the letters surrounded by stars the same teal colour of the writing, and he approached it, reading it. "'Galactic Cruiseships'..." He trailed off as he realized where he recognized the name from, and grinned. "Hello Sweetie."

After ten minutes of searching he found the main dining and dancing area, packed with people of various species, though predominantly humanoid. He found himself a table and sat down with a tall glass of raspberry lemonade that had a yellow umbrella in it. Because obviously, yellow mini umbrellas were cool.

"Hello sweetie," said a nearby voice, and his head snapped up to see evening-gown clad River Song approaching him.

"River," He smiled, his eyes traveling over the shiny red dress that had a large slit up the side and dark red shoes as high as her usual ones, though he hoped that he had been subtle. River's smug smile suggested that he hadn't so he simply awkwardly took a drink out of his straw, which only made her laugh.

"How goes the day?" She sat down at the table with him as he considered her words.

"Only just started...I'll let you know," He smiled at her coyly and she winked.

She leaned over the table with piqued interest. "Will I be there for any highlights?" He waggled his eyebrows.

"You tell me."

"Well..." River threw him such a sultry look that the Doctor was able to do nothing but smirk and jump up from his seat.

"Spoilers, right?" He asked knowingly, and she laughed.

"Spoilers!"

He grabbed her abruptly and within a second they were dancing along with the other couples on the ship to the cheerful music.

"Since when can you actually dance?" River asked with teasing surprise. The Doctor looked offended.

"I can dance whenever I like, this way just isn't usually as fun," He retorted indignantly. Their feet spun and weaved along the floor with expert precision and he smiled smugly as if to make his point. The song changed and the Doctor became excited. "River, this song is perfect for you! 'Lady in Red'!"

River shimmied her hips jokingly and they both watched the shimmering of her red dress for several tantalising moments. "It was probably written for me. It _is _my favourite colour."

_Never seen you look so lovely as you did tonight…never seen you shine so bright…_

The Doctor pulled her close to him, one hand on her back and the other holding her own hand. "It's not mine. But you're making me like it a lot more." She smiled into his shoulder and they both enjoyed the closeness. They weren't the most gentle or amorous couple, they spent a lot more time flirting and running and getting into trouble than they did holding each other. Even their hugs were rare. But that made moments like this all the rarer and all the more incredible.

_And I've never seen that dress you're wearing, or the highlights in your hair that catch the light…I have been blind…_

_The lady in red is dancing with me cheek to cheek, there's no one here, it's just you and me, it's where I want to be._

_I'll never forget…the way you look tonight._

"This is nice," River said quietly, and the way she said it made the Doctor wonder.

"Have you done anything like this with me before?"

"Spoilers," She murmured, and he sighed, feeling the annoyance he had initially felt for the word coming back to him. He simply held her tighter and let one of his hands travel up to play with the ends of her hair.

"Maybe we should do diaries," He suggested after a while, her comment making him think that it might be a good idea.

"Alright then sweetie," She said with a bright smile as he reluctantly unwound his arms from around her. Her urge to laugh at him because he looked as though he had had to put his favourite lollipop in the rubbish was overwhelming. "Don't worry, we can do more of this later."

"Can I hold you to that?" The cheeky glint was back in his eye, all of his slightly raw sentiment gone.

"You can hold me to anything you like," River said in her usual flirtatious tone that was always accompanied by the eyes that made him feel that she was undressing him in her mind.

They sat down and ordered food while going through their diaries. Laughing about previous misadventures and speculating on ones to come was a great way to relax, and a constant that they both found comforting. After they put the diaries away their food was delivered and they ate happily while continuing to tease each other.

But just as River was contemplating starting a food fight for the sake of it, the entire ship jerked and the power went out, bathing everyone in darkness. After a singular scream from some woman nearby, the room fell completely silent for several moments.

"Sorry," Said the same voice who had screamed. The Doctor got up and stood on the table, pointing his sonic to the lights on the ceiling and having them flare into life enough to supply a small amount of light, enough that everyone could partially see.

"Nobody panic, it's probably just a power outage, nothing to worry about," He told all the passengers who were watching him, "But just in case, my sexy friend and I are going to go and check with the Captain. Some of the crew will be along any minute, I'm sure of it. Come on, River, let's go to the flight deck."

The two time travellers left the room quickly and did their best to find the quickest route to the flight deck, which wasn't easy when there was no one they could ask for directions, because the halls were deserted except for one scared passenger who they immediately sent off to the ballroom to be with everyone else.

When they finally found it, they burst into the room to find it as deserted as the rest of the ship, the seats empty but still warm.

"The ship will crash!" River exclaimed immediately, but when she sat down at the controls she saw that auto-pilot had been activated, and let out the breath she had been holding. "Well…that's one thing we don't have to worry about, at least."

"More importantly…where are the crew?" The Doctor wondered aloud, pacing a little. "This is hardly the time to go off and have a smoke, or a poker match, or-"

"Doctor, they won't have done anything like that," River cut him off, "I have a bad feeling about this whole thing."

"That makes two of us," He said quickly, "Is there anything in the ship's log about the power outage?"

River's fingers flew over the keys and pulled up the current schematics of the ship onto the screen. "All the power's been diverted to the engine room on the lower deck." She continued to type, running a scan. "And there are 10 unregistered alien lifeforms down there along with a lot of human ones – that will be the crew. But….there's a spaceship attached to this bottom of this one!"

"A spaceship? Just attached to the bottom?" The Doctor repeated in a slightly horrified tone. "Do these people not check this kind of thing on take-off?"

"Unless it attached itself mid-flight," River said slowly, but he shook his head.

"They would have felt it, a ship that size-" He pointed to the scanner that showed the ship, "-wouldn't be able to connect smoothly."

"Well who's to say they didn't?" River countered. "We haven't been here the whole trip, sweetie, for all we know the ship _did_ experience a large jolt mid-flight."

The Doctor smiled in the way that told her that he had a plan. Or more likely, a plan in progress, if she knew him, which she did. "Then let's go and have a look."

"So you want to go down to where whoever is behind this is going to be?"

"How else are we going to talk to them?" With that, he left the room. "Come on, River, live a little!" She rolled her eyes but followed him regardless, her heels clicking on the pristine white floor as she ran to catch up.

* * *

The Doctor grinned when he saw two stony-faced officials at the end of the tenth corridor they had come down.

"Howdy!" He greeted them, but neither so much as smiled, both looked irritated by their arrival.

"You aren't authorised to pass, please return to the main deck," One of them said firmly, pulling a blaster from its sheath and aiming it at them as if to make a point.

"Are you sure, just wanted a look at the engines, see?" The Doctor pulled the psychic paper out and flashed it in front of the man's eyes.

"It makes no difference, no one is allowed past this point at this moment." The man's eyes showed that he was getting a little angry, but River didn't care.

"Why not?" Her challenge was met with the second guard pointing his own blaster at her.

"You don't have the right to ask questions, now please return to the main deck," The man said with a hostile tone, and the Doctor's hand closed around her wrist.

"Don't worry, we were just leaving," He said smoothly, "Come on, River, we'll go and see if the power up there is working yet." The two time travellers walked away quickly and made their way to the main deck.

When they got to the ballroom, they saw that everyone was more calm, and soon located the reason, a ginger man in the official uniform of Galactic Cruiseships. When he spotted them, he immediately came over.

"Don't worry, sir, ma'am, I'm doing everything I possibly can to sort this out," The man said with a tired and quite obviously forced smile.

"Yes, you are, and we're going to help you," The Doctor said as he put a comforting hand on the man's shoulder, "We've been to the flight deck, and every other staff member on record is down in the engine room, which happens to be the same place that all the power's been diverted to, so the question is…why are you the only one still here?"

The man frowned in slight confusion as he took the information in and rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand. "I don't know, I'm just-" He stopped and winced slightly. "Lieutenant Brennan McDonald. Who are you?"

The Doctor sat down in the nearest seat and crossed his legs. "I'm the Doctor, this is River, we're here to help." Brennan fell into a seat that belonged to the same table and rubbed his head thoughtfully.

"The engine room, you said?" He repeated, and the Doctor nodded.

"We tried to get down there but some men refused to let us pass," River said as she shifted her weight to the hand she had placed on the back of the Doctor's chair. Brennan suddenly winced again, seemingly in great pain, before he shook himself and looked back up at them. River frowned as she watched him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, it's just a headache," Brennan said offhandedly, waving his hand, "What did these men look like?" The Doctor shot a hesitant look at River before giving descriptions of the men, the muscular one who had been the first to draw his gun, and the tall one with a beard who had followed suit. The lieutenant didn't look pleased by his words. "I know them, that's Jim Lawrence and Terry Nickes. Both good and honest men, it doesn't make sense why they would suddenly abandon their post and be as hostile as you're saying." He winced again and clutched his head with both hands.

The Doctor was at his side in an instant. "That doesn't seem like just a headache," He said solemnly, and Brennan frowned. "How long have you had it?"

"I suppose..," He paused, as if he were afraid to say, and then seemed to gather his wits, "Since all the crew swanned off. It's strange though, I keep feeling like I should go down to the engine room to check that everything's okay."

River felt an incredibly bad feeling settle in her stomach. "Doctor, I think you should scan him."

"Do you have a theory as well?" The Time Lord asked.

"Yes, but I won't know if it's right until you scan him," His female friend replied, and so he took out the sonic screwdriver and scanned Brennan, who looked somewhat confused about the entire exchange. The Doctor held the screwdriver up to examine its findings and his mouth set firmly upon seeing the readings.

"You've got a data chip in your head," He told Brennan flatly, and the man's eyes widened.

"What do you mean? Wouldn't I know about something like that?"

"It was receiving a signal that was coming from the engine room…I'd bet my bowtie that it's using compulsion, controlling the minds of the crew without the crew even realising. They're only guarding the engine room because whoever those aliens down there are, they're using the crew like puppets," The Doctor concluded while ignoring the questions put to him. Brennan looked disturbed by the knowledge but met the other man's eyes without fear.

"Then why hasn't it affected me?" He demanded, only for River to answer.

"You must have a strong mind, you're fighting it without realising…that's why you have a headache, because you're resisting," She said, and Brennan stood up, determination in his eyes.

"Well I don't plan on stopping anytime soon," He declared, and the Doctor grinned before clapping him on the back proudly.

"That's the spirit," He said, "Now, every other crew member will have one of those chips, they won't even be aware of them, but the real question is how you all got them in you in the first place. Brennan…idea?"

The red-headed man rubbed his stubble covered chin as he thought hard. "There was a mass medical examination on the entire crew of the ship the day before we departed. They said it was because of the sheer size of the ship and number of passengers, as a safety measure, but it was kind of strange because there are other ships the same size which have never had to do that."

"What happened during the examination?" River inquired, and Brennan looked down in an almost bashful way.

"That's just the thing…we got put under anaesthesia the whole time…so they _could _have put chips in our brains, none of us would have been any the wiser," He admitted.

The Doctor nodded before pointing the sonic at Brennan's head again. "I'm going to lower the signal strength to minimum, so it has less of an effect."

"Why not get rid of it completely?" Brennan groaned as the sonic worked on the chip.

"Because then whoever put it in there will know that someone is onto them," River answered. "We don't want to give away how clever we are."

"Exactly, but I _do _want to know just who these people are, so…" The Doctor's brain was visibly whirring as he began to gesture with his arms. "River, you and me are going to find another way into the engine room and see what's down there. Lieutenant McDonald, look after everyone here until we get back. I'm relying on you."

Brennan, looking stronger already, nodded as he stood up. "I'll see you when you get back."

"See you then," The Doctor grabbed River's hand and the two of them set off for the lower deck once more. While on the way, an idea in River's head wouldn't leave her alone, so she spoke up after a few minutes.

"Doctor?"

"That's me…" He smiled at her cheekily and she laughed a little before becoming serious again.

"You looked like you recognised the technology in Brennan's head," River voiced her observation and the Doctor sighed a little as they walked, but gripped her hand a little tighter.

"I've seen a number of things, River, and at least five which could be what's inside his head," He said, "But without being able to see it, I can't narrow it down any more than that. But all the ones I can think of are extremely very not good."

Following the sonic's guiding pulses, they took a few different turns from the last time, and came face to face with a small hatch. After coming through it, they found themselves on a small balcony so close to the ceiling that they were forced to stoop while inches their way along. The sound and smell of engines filled the air, telling them that they had found their destination.

Echoes of strange voices started to hit their ears, and the Doctor stiffened, grabbing River's hand quickly as if he had to check she was still there. Then, the worst thing they could possibly hear started to speak.

"WE A-WAIT THE ARRI-VAL OF THE IN-FER-I-ORS!"

"THEY SHALL BE EX-TRA-POL-ATED!"

"DA-LEKS WILL RE-BUILD!"

River felt the Doctor's grip on her hand tighten so much that she was afraid he was going to break her hand, but when she saw the dark look of anger and pain on his face, she couldn't bring herself to say anything.

She merely dropped her eyes down to the metal creatures below and felt their grating voices chill her heart.

* * *

**...I know, I'm awful, I really am. XD**

**But I REGRET NOTHING. NOTHING! *looks around craftily* ...anyway...I'll try and update soon, but we all know how THAT usually works out. I'll see you guys when I see you. In the meantime, feel free to check out my new Avatar: The Last Airbender fanfic! I am explaining everything as I go, so no prior knowledge of the show is necessary!**

**Reviews are love! *offers Dalek cookies***

**-MayFairy :)**

Anonymous Review Replies:

_Fan - _Well, here's the next chapter, so I hope you enjoyed it! Thanks a bunch for the review! :)

_Rjalker - _Hahaha I think that reaction to the news about Ten and Aliya's future meeting was along those lines...I'm so glad you love my story so much, you wanting to mention Aliya in your crossover story made me feel really special. :) Hope to hear from you again! Get your sister to review more often. ;)


	38. Bad Days and Good Days

**I know, I know...but seriously, the more I get through, the easier it will get because we are getting really really close to the stuff I'm just aching to write! *cough* Doctor/River wedding in next chapter *cough***

**Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter: angeloverkk, Mrs. 11th, OptimisticLivvy, Arinlianette, goblindreamer, Spirit-of-the-Rain, Tipper dehavilland, Caligo Origuu, Goodwolf1011, ZackAttack96, Cetacea-of-Time, toavoidconversation! :D **

**You're awesome, all 12 of you! Man, I really do need to sort my crappy updating out if I'm going to get back up to 20+ reviews...**

**Now, no Aliya again in this chapter, sorry! She does get a little mention, though, and will be back straight away in the next chapter because we will be back to where we left of at Midnight, with the team back together, with a wedding to plan. Should be fun, yes? **

**Enjoy!**

**Warning: This chapter is kind of dark...at least, the Dalek arc is. Then lots of lovely fluff to finish off! :D **

**_Disclaimer: Haven't done one in ages because it's usually pretty obvious, but I don't own Doctor Who, and as much as I would like to take over Steven Moffat some day, I'm not holding my breath. The BBC gets everybody except Brennan (And Aliya, but she's not even in this chapter, but you know, whatever)._**

* * *

There was a huge lull of silence between the Time Lord and archeologist, but eventually River had to say something before he broke her hand in his grip.

"Sweetie, you're hurting me," She said with some urgency, and he immediately snapped out of the reverie holding him and relinquished his hold on her hand in an instant.

His eyes were worried as they skimmed over her. "I'm sorry, River, I was...remembering. Do you know who those voices belong to?"

The robotic voices were still talking in the background, but she was doing her best to tune them out. The blonde woman nodded. "There's an audio clip in my university which would be an exact match. Those are Daleks."

"Exactly, they're Daleks, the most evil creatures in the whole universe, the species that practically destroyed the Time Lords, and last time, I nearly wiped them out, but..." The Doctor stopped as a small frown settled on his face at whatever memory was behind his eyes, "But I had to save the Earth, and they got away from me. Again."

"Well they're not getting away this time," River's blaster was settled within her palm in mere seconds as a look of pure determination took over her features.

"No, they're not," The man next to her agreed darkly before shaking himself out of it, "But if this is going to work, if no one is going to get hurt, then we need to have a good plan and think about this. The big question is, what are they up to?"

"They said the humans would be extrapolated," River put in, "Like they were going to take human DNA."

The Doctor shook his head. "These Daleks destroyed one of their own just because he wasn't completely pure, they've taken the Dalek xenophobia to a whole new level. It can't be the DNA."

"But the human body contains all kinds of chemicals that could be useful to them in any number of ways," River said reasonably as she watched the creatures moving around below, "But one thing we do know is that everyone on this ship is in danger."

"I'm not going to let them hurt anyone else," The Doctor's voice was incredibly serious as he also looked down at the Daleks, "I came _so _close, but this time I will end them for good."

River watched him with fascination and noted the cold hatred and determination in his eyes. "But all the stories are true. You would never plan to kill unless it was something so twisted and corrupt…Daleks really are as bad as all the sources say."

"Well, you're talking to the most informed primary source of information right now. They've been a possibility ever since we found Brennan's data chip, the Daleks use robomen to do their work."

"Of course," River breathed, "The surgically altered humans…there are extensive files on them during the Dalek invasion of Earth in the 22nd century."

"Ah, yes…now that really was a long time ago," His voice grew a little far away, confirming the belief River had that he had been part of that somehow, as several accounts mentioned a blue box and some strangers who had helped end the Dalek's reign of terror. "I was so young…still trying to be old and grumpy and important."

"Is there any important historical event you aren't involved in?"

He shot her a defensive look. "Yes, actually! There was…um…oh, shut up!" River grinned as he rolled his eyes and pretended to ignore her in the childish manner he used so well.

Before their conversation could progress any further, however, the main doors of the engine room opened up and the two time travelers stopped their bickering to watch the scene underneath them.

A group of four robomen were leading in six terrified passengers that both the Doctor and River vaguely recognized from the dining hall, and the Daleks had assembled in a line, with the leader, the white Dalek, in front of them.

"BRING-THE-HU-MAN-OIDS-FOR-WARD!" It barked, and the robomen shoved the passengers forward. It was selective, there was one passenger of each gender and age, one female and old, one male and old, one female middle-aged, one male middle-aged, one female child and one male child. The two children's eyes darted around, too terrified to speak or resist. "ATT-ACH-THE-FLU-ID-EX-TRACT-ORS!"

Horrid-looking devices were roughly shoved onto the heads of all the passengers, and the little boy began to cry.

"CEASE-ALL-NOISE-MAK-ING!" The blue dalek said as its eyestalk focused on him, and he abruptly stopped and whipped his nose on his sleeve. "AC-TI-VATE!"

The red dalek crossed the room and went up a ramp onto a platform surrounded by small blue markers, and attached its sucker to the machine on the center of the platform. The machine came to life and lit up at the same time that the passengers began to scream and sink to their knees. Within thirty seconds, they were all limp on the floor and visibly dead.

River could hear the Doctor's teeth grinding and noted that he, like herself, had refused to shut his eyes throughout the entire ordeal. She knew how much it killed him to not be able to do anything to help, but a rescue mission would have been suicide.

"BRAIN-FLU-ID-HAS-BEEN-EX-TRAP-OL-ATED!"

In unison, the Doctor and River's heads snapped inwards towards the other, both asking the same question with their eyes. _Why did the Daleks need brain fluid? _The Time Lord began indicating with his head towards the hatch they had come through, and they both crept back through it so that they were back in the passageways of the ship.

"Alright, let's get back to the dining hall and discuss all this with Brennan," The Doctor said as they began to make their way back.

"There are far too many possibilities in terms of the different uses of humanoid brain fluid and which ones the Daleks could be utilizing, but I don't like a single one of them," River frowned as she recalled her knowledge of physiology and shot the Doctor a look, hoping that he could fill in some of the blanks.

He looked thoughtful, and was already nodding at what she had said. "Exactly, the chemicals in the humanoid brain, humans especially, those chemicals have almost unlimited potential in the right hands! Even the Rani admitted it, chemicals found in the human brain were the base of one of her most long-winded experiments, and she's the most innovative and open-minded chemist Gallifrey ever saw!"

"You know, considering that you constantly make a point of telling me how uptight your people were and how twisted they became…you do like talking about some of them as if they were your idols or best friends," River noted, and he frowned.

"No, River, they weren't all bad, there were quite a few individuals who were really very nice…_not _her, though, she was a _bad _girl," He shook his head with a slightly horrified expression while River just raised an eyebrow at him curiously.

"I thought you liked bad girls?" Her hand was absently stroking her holstered blaster as she spoke, and his eyes followed the small circles it was making before he snapped out of it and shot her a stern look.

"Not the amoral scientist type," The Doctor informed her before smirking a little, "I prefer archeologists."

"I know you do," River said with her trademark smirk, and he soon gave her his own.

"I know you know."

* * *

The moment the two of them were back in the dining hall, Brennan rushed over to them with purpose, and while he was doing so, they both took in the difference in atmosphere compared to when they had left. Where before the passengers had been reasonably scared but unaware of the suspicious situation around them, they now were all genuinely afraid and full of traumatized panic.

"What happened, why are they all so afraid?" River asked immediately, her eyes scanning over the huddled groups of people.

Brennan took a deep breath as he too cast another look over the people he had been trying to look after. "Some of the crew came up here while you were gone, clearly possessed or controlled like you said, and they threatened us with their guns before taking some of the passengers. They took-"

"Six," The Doctor and River answered at the same time before sharing a brief, grim look.

"Yes…how did you know?" Brennan's eyes darted between them, full of obvious confusion.

"We were at the other end, we saw them being brought in," The Doctor replied and shrugged a little, not caring to elaborate, but naturally Brennan wasn't satisfied.

"Well, what happened to them?"

River's mouth set into a hard line. "They died."

Before Brennan could take it in or get angry at her blunt statement, the Doctor moved in to take over. "Brennan, have you heard of the Daleks?"

"Of course…everyone knows about the Daleks, but they died out a long time ago, didn't they?" It was obviously that Brennan was becoming more confused and unsure how to feel about the whole situation with every passing minute.

The Doctor slowly shook his head. "I wish I could say yes. But if one thing can be counted on in this universe, it's that Daleks don't stay dead. They always find a way to stay alive, or come back, like a virus, and no matter _how many times you try to fight it, it always finds new ways of coming back and hurting people even when you risk EVERYTHING_-"

"Doctor," River's hand grabbed his arm, snapping him out of the spontaneous rage that had been holding him. He immediately looked at the floor, still breathing heavily but no longer furious, at least not visibly.

"I'm sorry. Bad day, lots of stuff…the Daleks are here, Brennan, they are the ones behind all of this, behind the crew who have been turned into robomen, behind the deaths of those six passengers…but they were killed by having their brain fluid extracted, the Daleks need something in the brain fluid, and we're going to find out what it is," The Doctor tried to smile but Brennan wasn't buying it, and River couldn't blame him.

Before anything more could be said, robomen stormed into the room, eliciting screams from the frenzied passengers. One stood in front of the rest, exuding authority.

"We require six more," He said stiffly, and the Doctor immediately grabbed River's hand and yanked her forward.

"We volunteer!" The man in the bowtie said urgently, and smiled falsely at them. "See, now you only need four." The other four were soon selected and the Doctor and River were carted off with them, both hoping that they would have a chance to interrogate the Daleks before their own brain fluid was sucked out of them.

* * *

As it happened, they needn't have worried, due to the fact that the Daleks recognized the Doctor the moment he was brought into the Engine Room and immediately flew into a near maddened fury of extermination threats.

"IT-IS-THE-DOC-TOR! EX-TERM-IN-ATE!"

Just when the Doctor was going to try and make a retreat, River's voice broke out amongst the robotic ones.

"If you want me to blast your precious machine to pieces, then by all means, Daleks, keep talking," She said with serious confidence while keeping her blaster steadily aimed at the machine the Daleks were quite obviously relying on for some reason.

The Dalek Paradigm fell silent and all trained their single eyestalks on her, suddenly wary as they realized that the Doctor wasn't their only threatening adversary in the room. Now the center of attention and rather enjoying it, River took a few steps closer to the line of four Daleks in front of her.

"Now, the Doctor and I are going to ask you some questions, and you're going to answer them," Her words were met by a stony Dalek silence, but the Doctor was beaming as if it were Christmas.

"Yes!" He rubbed his hands together excitedly, "First question, there's five of you, but only four here…where's the red one?"

"HE-IS…ON-AN-ER-RAND," The white Dalek replied with slight hesitation.

"What kind of errand?" The Doctor inquired, only to be met with more of the Dalek's silence.

"New question," River interrupted, narrowing her eyes at the Daleks, "What is it in the brain fluid of humanoids that you need, and why do you need it?"

The orange Dalek spoke up. "SEV-ER-AL-CHEM-IC-ALS-IN-THE-FLU-ID-ARE-NE-CESS-ARY-FOR-THE-PRO-GEN-ITOR-TO-BE-COM-PAT-IBLE-WITH-THE-NEW-PUR-POSE."

"What new purpose?" The Doctor asked. "Spray paint? Are you lot sick of looking like power rangers?"

"COM-MENT-NOT-UN-DER-STOOD."

The Time Lord smirked at them a bit. "Of course not, Daleks don't watch telly, you're too busy being cross with the rest of the universe, and fair enough, because right now a more important question is the one I just asked. What is the new purpose of the old Progenitor?"

"IT-WILL-CRE-ATE-NEW-DAL-EK-SOLD-IERS-TO-SERVE-THE-PA-RA-DIGM." All traces of amusement fell of the faces of both time travelers, and they exchanged a look of panic.

"How?" River demanded, her hand shaking a little before she stopped it.

"THE-BRAIN-FLU-ID-OF-THE-HU-MAN-OIDS-MAKES-THE-REP-LI-CA-TION-OF-DAL-EK-GENES-POSS-IBLE."

"But what if I destroy your machine before you can use it?" River's question hung in the air, and the room became silent enough for her to hear the roboman sneaking up on her. Whirling around and striking him to the ground before he could lay a finger on her, River had time to feel pleased before another roboman caught her by surprise and hit her on the head with enough force to knock her out cold.

"River!" The Doctor yelled, but his dash for her was interrupted by robomen who seized him by the arms. "If you've hurt her…"

"THE-FE-MALE-IS-UN-CON-SCIOUS-BUT-UN-HARM-ED. RES-TRAIN-THE-PRI-SON-ERS!" The white Dalek bellowed, and the robomen were quick to follow the instructions, leaving the Doctor bound to an unconscious River and a wall. "THE-RE-MAIN-ING-HU-MAN-OIDS-SHALL-BE-EX-TRAP-OL-ATED!"

This time around, the Doctor turned his gaze onto River instead of the people being killed before his eyes, but made sure that he took in every word that was being said.

"COM-PAT-IB-IL-ITY-CON-FIRM-ED! PRO-CEED-TO-THE-MAIN-DECK-FOR-DIR-ECT-EX-TRAP-OL-ATION!"

His head snapped up at that, and he watched the Daleks and robomen roll out of the room, and when he realized the fate of those in the dining hall, hung his head for several moments in mourning. But he and River were alone in the room, and that meant that if he could wake her up, they could make their escape.

"River! River, you really need to wake up, it's important!"

The mass of crazy blonde curls stirred slowly and her grey eyes slowly opened before focusing. Immediately alerted, she sat up straight and looked around only to find the place deserted.

"What happened?"

"One of the robomen snuck up on you, but don't worry about that, my sonic is in my pocket, we can get out of here in no time!" The Doctor assured her with a grin, but she wasn't so thrilled.

"Well, that would be lovely, sweetie, but in case it has escaped your notice, our hands are tied behind our backs!" River snapped only for him to shake his head.

"Yes, but you can get it, you'll just have to use something other than your hands," He rationalized, "Your mouth would probably be the most practical."

The archeologist's expression immediately turned to one of dirty amusement. "You want me to grab your screwdriver with my mouth?" Again, she shot him one of her sultry looks.

It took the Doctor a few seconds, but he soon made the usual face of disgust and the usual exclamation of 'ewww', "River, stop being so…human."

"But it's so much more fun to watch you squirm," She purred before going back to their plan, and she immediately got as close to him as she could before shoving her face into his chest. Nosing her way into his jacket was an interesting experience, but it wasn't as easy as she had originally thought it would be. "Which pocket?"

"You've got the right one, it should just be in there!" The Doctor replied.

"Well, I think I can see it, but it's not very easy to grab!"

Several minutes later, River finally managed to clamp her teeth around the sonic and pull it out, victorious. After another minute of getting it in the right position so that she could press the button down, their restraints snapped open and they were free. By the time they had managed to climb the wall of the Engine Room so as to be able to get back to the balcony they had been on before, so that they could exit a way where they weren't going to go past Daleks, the Daleks had returned.

"THE-PRI-SON-ERS-HAVE-ES-CAP-ED!"

"EV-EN-THE-DOC-TOR-CAN-NOT-STOP-US-NOW!"

"DAL-EKS-ARE-SUP-REME!"

The Doctor and River grinned at each other from their spot on the balcony before running back off to the dining hall. When they got there, they were struck by the sight before them. River failed to stifle a horrified gasp with her hand and the Doctor just stared with dead, angry eyes.

Littered with bodies, the room now looked like the set of a horror movie, only with aliens as well as humans among the dead. Every body was devoid of moisture, sucked dry by the Dalek suckers, or at the very least, that's what the Doctor would have guessed.

Again, the Doctor's hand found River's and offered the only support it could at the time by giving it a squeeze and holding it firmly. But just when they were going to turn away, they heard a familiar voice.

"Doctor. River."

Turning around in surprise, they saw Brennan standing against a wall, looking a bit weaker than he had been before, a lot more distraught.

"They killed everyone," He said gravely as he came closer, "Everyone except for me. Sucked them dry like they were food."

"They want brain fluid for their machine," River tried to explain, but Brennan just shook his head angrily and kicked at a nearby chair.

"Why didn't they take me? Why did I have to_ watch every person in this room die a horrible and inhumane death?" _He demanded, and the Doctor laid a hand on his shoulder.

"I don't know, but if you let me amplify the signal in your chip, we'll know what the Daleks are planning because you'll be hearing their orders," He said, and Brennan paused before agreeing, and quickly, the sonic brought the signal back to full strength.

"We need to go to the Engine Room…that's where everything is going to happen. It's the final stage of their plan," Brennan told them both as he squeezed his eyes shut.

"Then come with us back to the Engine Room, we can confront the Daleks and find out why they left you alive," The man in the bowtie said reasonably, and slowly, Brennan nodded his agreement and the three of them set off down the corridors to go back to the Engine Room for what would hopefully be the last time. "River, this time, you really will need to blow up their machine. They can't be allowed to create more Daleks, they are not beating me again."

* * *

It had only been a few minutes, and they were over halfway to the Engine Room when Brennan suddenly made a strange noise.

"Doctor, my head, it's burning…" He groaned, and without any warning, his body convulsed as if it was being electrocuted and dropped to the ground within seconds, lifeless. River immediately came to his side and took his pulse only to get no response at all.

She frowned, trying to take in what had happened in the last five seconds, "Doctor, he's dead," She said quietly.

The Doctor's mouth set into a hard line before he turned around and continued to walk. "So that's how it's going to be." River made to follow, getting out her blaster. When they got to the Engine Room, the floor was littered with robomen bodies. Clearly, the Daleks had no interest in keeping their human workforce and saw no point in having them alive. The Daleks themselves were assembled on the platform that their machine sat on, the platform surrounded by the blue beacons.

"A lot of people have died today," River said as they revealed themselves to the Daleks and she held up her blaster, "You're going to pay for that."

"Because in about a minute's time, River here is going to blow up that machine of yours, because I am not going to let you make more Daleks. It's a dead end, you've lost! You can't go anywhere, you need your precious little machine," The Doctor strode out and over the dead bodies at his feet so that he could look all of the Daleks in the eye as the white one, the Supreme, began to speak.

"YOU-HAVE-AL-READ-Y-LOST-THIS-BAT-TLE-DOC-TOR! THE-DAL-EK-CAUSE-HAS-PRE-VAIL-ED!"

The Doctor found himself laughing at the statement. "Prevailed? We're still here, and we have an alpha mison blaster which is about to destroy your only hope at making more Daleks. How could you have possibly already won?"

This time it was the blue Dalek, the Strategist, who spoke. "BE-CAUSE-YOU-CAN-NOT-FOL-LOW-US."

"Follow you?" The Doctor's echo was one of vague confusion.

"MASS-TEM-POR-AL-SHIFT!" The White Dalek commanded, and the blue beacons all around the platform began to glow.

Eyes widening in realization, River raised her gun to fire at the same time that the Doctor began to fly into a furious panic.

"No, no, no, no! River, shoot them now, they are not getting away from me again!" He shouted, and she did shoot as quickly as she could, but it only rebounded off the blue tinted force field that surrounded the Daleks and their progenitor before they all disappeared with a blue flash of light. "No! Come back, I won't let you do this!" He rushed up to the platform, waving his sonic in a desperate mission to reverse it, only to sink to his knees with eventual defeat. "NOOO!"

Knowing how important it had been to him to take down the Daleks, and knowing how deep into his past his conflict with them went, River gave him a few minutes before she approached him. "We should go, Doctor. There's no point lingering here anymore." She put her hand on his shoulder and he slowly got to his feet.

"You're right. But we should take all the bodies back to the dining hall. They were all human beings who deserve to be remembered that way, not as robotic monsters," His voice was quieter and more serious than she could ever remember hearing it, but she nodded her agreement. For the next twenty minutes, they lugged bodies back to the dining hall and laid the dead out on the floor so that they had dignity in death instead of looking like slaughtered animals. Last of all, they laid Brennan down together, remembering how determined he had been to make everything right and how strong he had been to initially resist the Dalek's commands.

They stood there for a minute or so, just looking at the scene before them and wondering how it had come to where they were now. But just as River was about to suggest that they head back to the TARDIS, something snapped inside the Doctor.

"_Argh!" _He yelled, and immediately yanked on the nearest table cloth, sending plates and cutlery to the floor with a horrid crash. He kept going, shouting and yelling because the anger inside him was exploding, there wasn't any way for him to keep it in. "It's not fair!" More plates fell, tables were kicked over and chairs were thrown, and amongst all the destruction, River watched with unshed tears in her eyes as she tried to think of the best way to help him. "They always get away!"

"Doctor!" She tried to call out, only for him to turn around with fire in his eyes.

"No, River, there is nothing you can say, nobody can say anything that will make it better, especially not you!" He snapped before knocking a larger candleholder out of his way irritably.

"But there are so many other ways!" River argued as she slowly came closer, eyes wet and voice earnest. "You want to make this right? Then we go back to the TARDIS, and monitor the galaxies until we find them again, and then we make a plan and we bring them down. Or we find the inside agent who must have helped them arrange all of this back on the docking planet. _Anything _but this."

Slowly, the Doctor stopped and looked at her properly for what seemed to be the first time, and the rage was instantly gone, replaced by bitter defeat. He dropped into a nearby chair, one of the only ones he hadn't overturned, and sighed, broken.

"No. There will be time for all of that. I don't want to have to look at another Dalek for a very long time, so I am sure as hell not looking for them today," He said, his voice tenuous and quiet. She came closer and slid her hand into his before gently pulling him out of the chair.

"Good," She said in a slightly soothing voice, and they don't say another word until they are back in the TARDIS, and the Doctor had accidentally gone off in his own world. River merely smiled sadly and stood next to him, touching his shoulder as a way of comfort.

"Everyone has bad days, sweetie," She told him slowly, "And of course yours and mine are worse than most. Some people have to go through it alone. But not us." With that she kissed him, and immediately he was kissing her back, without his usual gentleness. This time it was just need and anger and passion and she didn't mind because she wanted the same thing. And because his bad days weren't new to her.

And later, long after they eventually made it to his bedroom, when he asked her to stay, stay for a whole week, she said yes because she knew that he needed her for a while longer yet.

* * *

It had been weeks since the Galactic Cruiseship, and the Doctor's bad mood had passed on, though his worrying about the Daleks hadn't ceased. It was something that was going to bother him until he encountered them again, he knew.

But he needed to see River, to see her smile and say 'spoilers'. So to ensure an older River, he visited her at university, ambushing her on her lunch break and making her laugh and scold.

Because River was a foolproof way of feeling better.

* * *

His large hand traced across her bare shoulder with the utmost gentleness, and he pressed a slow kiss to the spot his fingers had just left.

"You're so beautiful," He whispered in an almost awed tone.

River laughed a little, smiling as she turned her head to watch him with endearing eyes. "I bet you say that to all the girls."

Although his lips twitched, he looked down for a moment before lifting his gaze from beneath his floppy hair. "River…" His voice was disapproving and ever so slightly hurt.

"Alright then," River amended, "All the supernovas and natural wonders you see on a regular basis." By then she had shifted her body so they were facing each other, both still partially hidden by the crisp white sheets of his bed.

The smile he was giving her by that point was one that she had never seen except when they were alone, the smile that was uniquely _hers. _"But that's just the thing, River, I've gotten too old for it to be that simple. All of those things, to me they're just things, not unless someone with me can see past that. That's why I have companions these days, because you humans see wonder where I just see rocks or crystals or burning gas. Aliya's easily impressed, that's why she's useful to me like that."

"Easily impressed? Her?" River wasn't sure if he was joking or not, and he quickly realized his mistake before they laughed together.

"Let me clarify," He said while still snickering, "She's easily impressed by the beauties the universe has to offer. Without fail, anything like that is amazing to her. It's one of her greatest assets. But this was supposed to have a point, and the point is…you're one of the only things left in the universe that is still beautiful to me."

River had no idea what to say to something like that, so she kissed him because it could convey something she couldn't put into words. He immediately took her face in his hands and deepened the kiss, rolling them together so that he was on top of her before taking advantage of the fact that they hadn't bothered to get dressed yet.

* * *

The Doctor smiled to himself as he looked over at River, who was leaning back against the tree and looking over the vast lake before them, the violet water sparkling under the sunlight.

He crossed over to where she was standing. "Beautiful, isn't it?"

"Please tell me that you're talking about the lake and not me, because that would be terribly clichéd," River said without looking at him, a tiny smile playing on her lips.

"I was talking about the lake," He chuckled, "Don't worry."

"Good…and yes, it is beautiful, it's incredibly beautiful…just when I think I have seen the most incredible thing I possibly could, you prove me wrong and show me something else." She said quietly, looking over the water.

"Well, you know me, I skip the boring days," He joked, and she ran her eyes over him with slight intention.

"I bet you do," She flirted, and he smirked.

"How's archeology?"

"As fascinating yet recurring incorrect as usual," She said dryly, coaxing a laugh out of him. Then he paused for almost half a minute, resulting in her looking at him questioningly. His gaze didn't leave the water when he spoke next.

"River, I want you to marry me," He said suddenly, and she felt her eyes widen in surprise as he came to look her in the eyes properly, "Will you? Marry me?"

She beamed. "Oh you nostalgic idiot...yes, of course!" She kissed him happily and he laughed, thoroughly relieved.

"Good…I've never had to propose marriage before…it was rather nerve-wracking," The Doctor said with obvious relief.

"You say 'had' as if it were compulsory," River noted, laughing.

"Well, I was hardly going to _not _marry you, now was I?" He said it in a joking tone but she could hear the compliment and declaration of feelings underneath. "You're River Song. The Doctor and River Song…it just sounds cool!" He gestured extravagantly. She gave him a strange look, one that was almost accusing.

"You want to marry me so that you get the rights to my name?" River raised an eyebrow and he laughed.

"Ah, you've foiled my plan," He said, and they laughed together as they looked at the beautiful sight before them. His fingers linked through hers and he thought about how lucky he was to have her cross through his lives, even if he knew it wouldn't be forever. But Rassilon be damned if he wasn't going to take and enjoy every last moment he could with this amazing woman, and he was going to make sure that the whole universe would know.

One thing was for sure…it was going to be a wedding to remember.

* * *

**So hopefully that was good enough? Some nice Doctor/River fluff, yes? Some nice angsty dark bits, yes? Some Dalek epic? Hopefully? Let me know in a review, the little review box is just down there! **

**Now, considering that the next chapter is the wedding...I will want to write it. A lot. But I'll also want to get it perfect. So hopefully soon but we'll have to see? **

**Love you all, **

**-MayFairy :) **


	39. Preparations and An Old Video

**Three weeks, less than a month, woo! :D There really aren't words to describe how happy I am right now. However, I'm afraid there won't be an update until at least the 13th of August, because that's the day of my piano exam and I really have to focus on that now. Though I will be putting out a Romana I tribute for Mary Tamm at some point, when I can find the time. **

**Now, you know how I said that this was going to be the wedding chapter? Funny thing about that...I sort of got writing and now I have nearly 8,000 words of pre-wedding fluffish stuff. So, enjoy, but you're going to have to wait just a bit longer for the wedding! We do get a look at River and the Doctor all ready to go, though, so we are right up to it now, the wedding is DEFINITELY next chapter! **

**Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter: Theta-McBride, OptimisticLivvy, GoodWolf1011, fanfreak4ever, Arinlianette, Spirit-of-the-Rain (LOL your review XD), guest, ZackAttack96, GeoRach, loulouflowerpower, toavoidconversation, Mrs. 11th, Evil Angel 215.**

**All 13 of you rock, and welcome to the newcomers, it's great to have new people join the crazy ride that this story! :) **

**So, enjoy the chapter, there's some nice Doctor/River but not as much as last chapter or what is going to be coming up, some lovely platonic Daliya moments, some humour, some old friends, and Martha having thought of a really great idea! **

* * *

**_To clear up the timeline for anyone who is confused, those Doctor/River scenes and the Dalek arc all happened while Aliya was on Midnight talking to Donna. Now, they've gone back to Midnight to grab her, and we're back to right after they came out of the TARDIS and told Aliya the news. Comprendo? Bien. :) _**

* * *

_Back on Midnight…_

"Guys, you're squishing me."

Aliya was finding it harder to breathe, she was squashed between the Doctor and River in a huge group hug, but it had been going on for quite a while and she needed to surface for air.

"Seriously, it's like an Aliya sandwich in here. Contrary to popular belief, I do need oxygen!"

The Doctor and River made a point of taking another ten seconds to laugh at her before letting go of her, and the Time Lady made a 'hmph' noise as she untangled herself and tried to fix her mussed hair.

"So, how was the spa? I've never been a big fan, mostly because I'm not good at sitting still, though, it's almost worth it for a foot rub, because they admittedly are very nice," The Doctor rambled, and she just laughed at him.

"It was great, actually, because you did a bad job with the timelines and I ended up having a very interesting conversation with a woman called Donna Noble," Aliya said, and immediately the Time Lord froze as if he was unsure that he had heard her correctly.

"Wait, hold on, when you say Donna Noble, do you mean _my _Donna Noble?" The Doctor asked for clarification, "The incredible ginger who saved the entire universe?"

"_Your _Donna Noble?" River cocked an eyebrow questioningly, and Aliya just smirked.

"You know him, River, he gets rather possessive over his companions, especially the ginger ones…I'm still surprised that he let Amy leave!" Aliya rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at the Doctor when he shot an indignant look at her. "And yes, Doctor, it was your Donna. We had a nice little chat about you, and I may have told her a few interesting tidbits…" The devious look in her eye made the Doctor pause and remember a conversation his past body had shared with Donna, and a horrific realisation crashed down on him.

"It was you! _You_ told her about the coat!" He scowled when she laughed at him, and jabbed his finger accusingly at her chest, making her frown before jabbing him back in childish retaliation.

River had been trying to follow the conversation without much success. "What coat?" She asked lightly, only for Aliya and the Doctor to immediately meet eyes, tension suddenly present. Without warning, Aliya's hand grabbed River's and she darted into the TARDIS while pulling the archaeologist behind her before the Doctor could move. She heard him curse and begin his pursuit, but Aliya continued to lead River through the TARDIS and into the wardrobe, where she quickly located the horrendous coat which the Doctor had worn in his sixth incarnation.

By the time the Doctor came in, Aliya had pulled it over her t-shirt and was doing an impersonation of his Sixth persona.

"_This is a situation that requires both tact and finesse…fortunately, I am blessed with both," _Her voice was a near perfect imitation of the man she was mocking, the current version of whom didn't look too pleased. River, on the other hand, was chuckling.

"I think that side of him could definitely be in there somewhere…but how do you know all this? Even you can't have been with him _that _long," River pointed out, and Aliya shrugged.

"The TARDIS has holographic records," She said, technically lying by omission because while the TARDIS had holographic records, they weren't the reason that she was able to quote something that an earlier Doctor had said. However, it wasn't as if River knew that.

"Can't you take that off, Aliya?" The Doctor asked with a heavy sigh as he watched her, his eyes constantly flicking over to River as if he was worried that she would judge him for the coat.

Aliya laughed but shrugged the coat off and hung it back over a rack. "Embarrassed?"

"No! Well, yes, I suppose…but if I showed you something that you loved to wear when you were younger that wasn't so tasteful, wouldn't you be embarrassed too?" The Doctor's point was reasonably valid, but Aliya still shrugged in a blasé way.

"I'm not particularly ashamed by anything I used to wear, not as much as you should be about the coat, anyway…but I've embarrassed you enough for one day, I think…I'll be in my bedroom if you need me, just come and get me if you want my advice for wedding details, though I don't know how much help I'll be!" The Time Lady grinned at them both before cheerily heading out of the room, thinking about how many new developments she needed to write about in her journal.

* * *

Some while later, Aliya heard a knock at her door. After calling out for the knocker to come in, Aliya tentatively closed her journal and turned around in her chair to smile at River, who was eyeing the room with approval, but not with the eyes of someone who had never seen it.

"Hey, River," The younger looking woman said with a warm grin which was immediately returned, "Do you guys want my opinion on some stuff?"

"We haven't even really discussed the wedding yet," River admitted, "We were going to, but then he found something and told me to get you because he wanted to show it to us. It looks like some kind of videotape, but I didn't get a good look at it." It didn't take a lot to pique Aliya's interest, which was why she was up next to River and heading out the door with her in a matter of seconds.

When they arrived in the TV room where the Doctor was, River automatically sat down on the couch next to where the Doctor was already seated, and Aliya followed suit, sliding in next to River.

"So, what is this, exactly?" She asked her fellow Gallifreyan curiously, and he smiled coyly.

"I don't know, that's the best bit!" He said enthusiastically as he pressed the 'play' button on the control set. "I only just found it, and all it says on the label is 'for the Doctor', with one of those smiley faces on the end. Might as well play it now."

The black screen suddenly came to life, and an initially blurred picture soon cleared to show none other than Martha Jones, her hair pulled back in a tight bun but looking as gorgeous as ever. She grinned, a little unsurely, before giving a small wave to the camera.

"_Okay, Doctor, you're probably wondering what this is, and when it was filmed. I don't know how long it's going to be before you find this, but I asked the TARDIS to keep it hidden until she thought you should watch it. To give you an idea, the Daleks just tried to invade Earth and that Davros bloke tried to destroy the universe. But thanks to Donna and that clone of yours, we're alright_," Martha turned to grin at someone off camera before focusing again. "_But I realised that right now, all of your friends – all your recent ones, anyway – are in the TARDIS at once, and maybe you'd like some kind of visual record to look back on someday when you're feeling lonely. So we're going to remind you just how far from alone you really are!_"

Aliya and River both looked at the Doctor, who was eyeing the screen with nostalgic surprise, a proud smile gracing his features.

"Martha Jones," He said in explanation to his companions, "She was one hell of a woman. I asked more of her than I've ever asked anyone, and she never let me down."

River nodded. "I've got a picture of her in my diary, but the archaeological sources don't always come with names."

"You know, I think you just admitted to stalking him in your spare time," Aliya commented dryly before trying to fend off the pillow River threw at her face. The Doctor impatiently shushed both of them, and they fell silent to keep watching the video.

"_So…"_ Martha was saying, now behind the camera rather than in front of it, "_We have the woman of the hour, The DoctorDonna…_" A slightly older ginger woman came into view, and smiled a little.

"_I think I'll stick to Donna, thanks…there's already one Time Lord with a superiority complex on this ship, I don't think we need another one," _Donna Noble said reasonably to the camera, "_But if you're watching this, Spaceman, I'd better be there with you, and if I'm not, then you better have found someone else that stops you…from doing something stupid or just from plain old babbling." _

"Aliya, I think that we both fit that criteria," River noted, and Aliya nodded before smirking slyly.

"Yes, for once the Doctor got full marks on something!"

"Oi!"

"_Ooh, are we making a video for him?" _The unmistakable voice of Sarah Jane Smith was soon followed by an appearance of the older but still beautiful woman herself. She waved at the camera before smiling warmly. "_Hello Doctor! Hopefully you haven't forgotten about all of us by the time you're watching this…but you're not one to forget, I know that. Just make sure that you keep in touch, Doctor, because we all miss you once we leave." _

"Do you think that will be me someday?" Aliya asked the other two. Despite her tone being light, they could hear that underneath the slight façade she was being serious. "Waving goodbye and asking you to keep in touch?"

River shrugged. "Frankly, it doesn't seem like your style, you're more likely to be dragged out of here kicking and screaming because you've gotten too old…or going out with a bang after a fight with _him _and yelling as you walk out."

The Doctor had to chuckle at the mental images and the strange accuracy of both. "Yes, but then I'd have to go and pick you up if I wanted someone to actually be able to understand me. I do keep her around for a reason, you know."

"You are aware that I am still in the room, aren't you?" Aliya's sarcasm just made him smirk. "And don't give her that crap, we all know that you'd find a new little stray human because you love watching them adore you. You have such a childlike need for attention that it's actually ridiculous." The words were incredibly true, and the Doctor just shook his head in an attempt to discredit them while River just laughed at how disgruntled he appeared after the statements.

"Oh, shut up, both of you, I'm trying to watch this! You might not care, but these are my friends, and I haven't seen them all since I regenerated, so I'd appreciate if both of you were quiet." His request was met by mildly reluctant silence, and the two women didn't stop sending each other significant looks. If the Doctor didn't know any better, he would have sworn that they were having a telepathic conversation.

"_And here's the famous Rose Tyler! You know that he didn't shut up about you the whole time you were gone?" _ Both of the women on the couch noticed how the Doctor's whole body tensed at the name and turned their attention to the screen, their curiosity winning out. Of course, they wanted to know more about the esteemed Rose Tyler.

The woman in question eyed the camera with obvious surprise, and then groaned with embarrassment. "_Oh no, what's he been saying? It was 'bout me not being able to work the dishwasher in that blue kitchen, wasn't it?" _She giggled a little, smiling widely with her tongue poking out between her teeth. The Doctor inhaled ever so slightly, as if her smile was significant, and Aliya flicked her eyes across to him, and saw an unfathomable expression in his eyes as he watched the screen avidly. "_Or was it about how I failed at doing a Scottish accent?" _At that the Doctor laughed, as did Martha off camera.

"_He mentioned the dishwasher when I couldn't get it working either…also something about you inventing the queue a few thousand years early," _Martha's comment made Rose grin again, remembrance in her eyes.

"_Oh, that, yeah…I guess I did." _

River nodded with approval. "She's cute, I can definitely see why you went for her."

"River!" The Doctor sounded mildly scandalised as he shot her a reproaching look. She just shrugged not-so-innocently.

"What? You know I'm pansexual, honey, I swing both ways!" River defended while smirking. "Honestly, if you didn't exist, I probably would have jumped Aliya by now."

"What?_!_" Aliya's surprised yelp made River laugh.

"Don't worry, sweetie, don't worry…"

By that time, Martha had explained why they were making the video to Rose, and the Doctor shushed them for what seemed like the thousandth time so that he could hear what she had to say.

"_I guess…hiya," _Rose said almost shyly, having now realised that a future Doctor was watching her, or would be,_ "I guess there's a lot to say, but in the end, just…if I'm not with ya, then know that I would never choose to leave you, because I promised you forever, but…just don't let me turn out like Sarah Jane, okay? Don't never mention me, don't pretend that I never existed. If someone asks, just tell 'em. Tell 'em how we ran and we fought and we never gave up, not ever. And how we had so much fun doing it." _She sniffed suddenly, and wiped strange tears from the corners of her eyes. "_Oh god, no…it's so stupid, you're right here, just in the other room…I think the camera can go and find someone else now…go ask Jack something." _She laughed again, somewhat nervously, and turned away from the camera. So the camera was carried through to another room, where Jack, Mickey and Jackie were having an intricate conversation. After finding out what the camera was for, they all directed smiles towards the camera.

"Ooh, who's the tall good-looking one?" River's comment got her a whack with a pillow from Aliya, and elicited another groan from the Doctor.

"River…" He said, but Aliya butted in before he could say anymore.

"That is Captain Jack Harkness, and if anybody in this room gets to be interested in him, it's me, so don't get any ideas!" She told River, who cocked an eyebrow before grinning with approval and waggling both of them at her friend. The Time Lady laughed but eventually sent a reassuring wink at the Doctor when the archaeologist's back was turned.

"_Well, Doc, I don't have much to say because I'm sure that I'll be able to track you down at some point, and I'm sure you'll be just as gorgeous as you are now! You know where to find me," _Jack's wink make River chuckle.

"You know, it really is too bad that I'm marrying you…I think I'd get along very well with this Jack Harkness," She said almost wistfully.

"You'd get along with him far _too _well, River, that's the problem!"

"Oh, you're just jealous."

"_Doctor, I'll probably be saying the same as everyone else, but keep in touch, alright? When I met you, I was afraid of the bigger picture…and now I think that I'm going to go fight some not so friendly aliens, freelance style, you know…so thanks!" _Mickey just nodded in acknowledgement, the very picture of a respectful fellow man.

Jackie, of course, always had to be the individual. "_Look, before I say anything, I'm going to say that if you haven't got me back to my universe and my family, I'll find a way to tell the whole universe that you travelled with Rose Tyler's mother." _The Doctor laughed at that, while the two women both raised their eyebrows upon realising the familial connection. "_But you better be looking after my daughter, alright?" _

The video cut out after a few quick goodbyes from the three plus Martha, leaving the three travellers on the sofa. The Doctor's eyes were incredibly far away, obviously remembering. Noticing this, River's hand crept up to hold his supportively, and he immediately snapped out of it to smile at her with surprising gentleness. Suddenly, it seemed like such an intimate moment that Aliya frowned and awkwardly got up without making a sound, leaving them alone in the room as quickly as she could, not wanting to intrude on such a private moment.

Neither of them even noticed her walk out.

* * *

Sprawled across the rug on her bedroom floor because it seemed as good a place as any other, Aliya held her book - 'The Da Vinci Code' – in one hand while using the other to support the back of her head as she rested it on the comfortable rug that made for meagre head support.

Without warning a glowing object zoomed through the partially open door and landed on her stomach with a light thump. Aliya put the book to one side and sat up to realise that the object was a hypercube, the telepathic Time Lord equivalent of letters or emails. She picked it up and immediately felt a sense of mind-numbing boredom flow out of it, with the subtle distinction that told it had definitely been sent by the Doctor, and very recently. Not that she was likely to be getting hypercubes from anyone else, due to the distinct lack of Time Lords in the universe…

"_I'm bored_," She interpreted with a raised eyebrow, "_Want to play chess_?" A snort escaped her at how childish he sounded. "No, not really, Doctor," her muttering under her breath lasted until she closed her eyes and formed a hypercube of her own. Her reply was, "_You sound five years old, and no, go and play chess with River!" _

His own hypercube was soon back with his answer. "_She's asleep and you're better at chess than her anyway…please?" _

Aliya sighed heavily, but put the bookmark back in her book before putting on her desk and heading towards the room that had been turned into a huge botanical garden, complete with chess set that had pieces 3 feet high. As expected, when she rounded the last corner, the Doctor was reclining back on the bench next to the tiled board, and he grinned with smug triumph when he saw her.

"Ha!" He exclaimed happily, "I knew that you couldn't resist!"

"Don't flatter yourself, I'm humouring you," She countered without hesitation, "I didn't want to be fending off flying white boxes for the next half an hour."

"Admit it, you like spending time with me," He got up and smiled the cheerful and broad smile that so complimented his features.

"Pft," Aliya said deliberately, rolling her eyes. "You wish." He pretended to look offended but she knew that he could see the playfulness in her eyes.

"How did you know I would be here and not in the library with the normal chess set?" He appeared to be genuinely curious, and there was only one real answer, the simplest one of all.

Aliya smiled the smile that somehow was always reserved for him without her realising. "I just know you." He let himself also smile at that, knowing it to be true.

"Yes, yes you do."

"Yes, I know I do, but stop stalling…we're supposed to be playing chess, and I think that you're afraid to lose…" The inevitable teasing made him grin and he grabbed one of his white pawns and pushed it forward.

"Ha! Lose to you? Not likely in the least," He scoffed.

An accepted challenge lit up in her eyes, and she immediately mirrored his move with her own piece. They continued to silently move their pieces for a few minutes, but a nagging question in the background of Aliya's mind wouldn't leave her alone.

"Doctor...I noticed something, back when we were watching that tape..." She bit her lip, hesitating. "There was a moment where Rose smiled, and you reacted as if it was important."

The Doctor blinked for a second, but whether it was in confusion or just that he didn't know how to answer straight away, she wasn't sure. "Oh, no, I was just - no. It's just that when she smiled, she'd stick her tongue between her teeth. Maybe I missed that more than I thought. I'd always loved her smile."

Aliya's eyes were soft as she regarded him before dropping her eyes back to the chess pieces in front of them. "You know, I think that I forget sometimes just how much of your life I missed. How many more years you lived and how many people touched your life that I can never know."

"You're here for my wedding...that's all that matters," He replied after a moment. "There are parts of your life that I never experienced. You got to watch Romana grow up, and later you helped her get the Presidency."

"But that's different, you knew her anyway, you were with her when she regenerated, that's far more intimate," Aliya pointed out.

"You're the only one who even knows that regeneration is an incredibly intimate thing, most of my friends don't even realise that," The Doctor's voice was tender, almost, and his gaze intense. "Nine people have seen me regenerate, and none of them understand the significance."

"You've seen me regenerate twice," Aliya said without thinking of what she was saying. When she stiffened and realized, her eyes lifted to see the Doctor staring at her with an unfathomable expression. Within seconds he snapped out of it, and their eyes quickly shifted to the ground awkwardly.

_Stupid! _Aliya cursed herself and mentally hit her head against a wall. _Why would you say something like that? Like he needs reminding that he's shared such private and intimate moments with you...only spouses or family are supposed to see each other regenerate._

For something to do, she quickly scanned the board and felt a grin come to her face and she dragged her rook all the way across the board to a crucial spot. "Check, Doctor."

His eyes popped out as he took in the move and checked it was legal, and seemed to be annoyed that he had missed it. "Yes, but not for long." He maneuvered out of it, but she had been expecting as much, and didn't flinch.

Instead, she batted her eyelashes playfully as a smirk found its way to her face again. "Mate in 15."

"As if I'm going to believe that!" He said arrogantly, and immediately moved his knight into her path. "Mate in 15, you fibber!"

Aliya merely cocked an eyebrow and moved her pawn, only enforcing the idea that she was just trying to make him anxious. But sure enough, when 14 moves had passed, the Doctor had found himself in a somewhat dire situation. There was only one plausible move that he could make, and once he had used it, his opponent's grin was practically chesire. By this point, her final move was known to him, but he had used all his options, managing to dodge her for the previous 10 turns, but no longer able to run.

Of all the possible pieces, it was Aliya's knight that ended up securing her win. "Checkmate," She declared triumphantly as her hands released it.

"I demand a rematch!" The Doctor said, and the sentence only made the Time Lady opposite him grin that much harder.

"I was really hoping that you would say that," She challenged, and within minutes the board was reset and a new game had begun.

In the end, it became rematch after rematch, with zigzagging results that kept reasonably even in terms of who had the most wins. Aliya had eventually settled for seating herself on top of her rook whenever she had to wait for the Doctor to decide on his next move, and after a few hours, that shifted into her telling him which of her pieces to move because she couldn't be bothered getting off of her new seat.

A good eight hours after they had begun their first game, a sleepy River wandered in while wearing a long open dressing gown over a not-so-long nightie. Her blonde curls of hair looked the same as they always did, perfect in their imperfect way, and Aliya couldn't help but sigh at realization that her own bed hair issues were not shared by all women with curly hair.

"Good morning, sweeties," She said with a broad smile, and Aliya waved from her perch on the rook while the Doctor bounced over to give River a good morning kiss. "Who's winning?"

"That depends," Her fiancé replied only for her to ask the obvious follow up question.

"On whether you mean this game in particular or who is winning in the grand scheme of all of our games," Aliya put in cheerfully, "If it's the former, then I will admit that the answer would be the Doctor at this point...but if it's the latter, then provided that he wins this game, which he most likely will, the score will have evened out. We're quite well matched."

"Oh, so this was back when you two were still on pretty much equal scores?" River seemed amused by the notion, and for any other person, it would have come across as patronizing.

"Wait, so one of us pulls into the lead eventually?" The Time Lady's excitement was not at all restrained until she realised that the answer would not be in her grasp. "But you can't tell us," She sighed, "Spoilers, am I right?"

Deciding to be extra-mysterious and infuriating, River merely winked, much to Aliya's chagrin, and the other blonde rolled her eyes, knowing that she could hardly have expected any different.

"Now, is it just me, or do we have a wedding to plan?"

* * *

It took a long time for them to organize what things they needed to decide on. The Doctor had informed them both of a religious order in the 53rd century which worshipped time and the keeping of the laws of time in a day and age where some could break them. It was a uninanimous decision that wedding would be held in the Church of Temporal Principle, on the planet Kalsa, with the reception in the extensive botanical gardens found outside of the church itself.

Aliya had been with both the Doctor and River individually to give advice on a tuxedo and a wedding dress (though in the Doctor's case, they had only needed to go as far as the wardrobe). It was the matter of who was going to be there which was going to require far more thought.

"Well," said River thoughtfully, "The only person I'm massively fussed about for me is Anita, because my two other best friends are going to be there already." She shared a grin with the aforementioned friends.

"So is she going to be...oh, what do you call it? The Maid of Honor?" Aliya saw the Doctor nodding, letting her know that she'd gotten the term right, and she seemed pleased with herself until River shook her head.

"Don't be silly, sweetie, you'll be the Maid of Honor," The bride-to-be laughed as if the idea of anyone else doing the job was ridiculous.

Aliya blinked. "Really? Are you sure that you don't want someone else?"

"Of course I'm sure!" River chided with a wave of her hand before turning to the Doctor. "But what about you, who are you going to pick for your Best Man?"

The Doctor shrugged. "See, I thought about it, and as crazy as it might seem, I think that the only person it could really be is Jack."

Reflexively, Aliya felt herself grin. Despite only meeting the ex-Time Agent for a brief time, he had been so...attractive, not necessarily in a physical way, but in all ways. He simply exuded the promise of laughter and fun, something that she definitely wanted. "Brilliant," She said.

"Ooh, so I can meet him?" River also looked pleased by the idea, and the Doctor merely shook his head as if he already regretted the decision.

"But who do you want to invite, Doctor?" Aliya inquired with interest. "You've got so many friends..."

"All of them," He interrupted, and her eyebrows lifted, "All of them, because I am going to be getting married and I want to make it million times better by having all of my friends there too. Plus, I want everyone who's ever travelled with me, everyone who was ever my friend, to know that I am marrying River Song!"

"And when you say everyone..." Even River couldn't get a word in edgeways, he simply talked over her too.

"I mean everyone who knows that I can change my face, everyone who can be there! Sarah Jane and the kids, Amy and Rory, Martha and Mickey, The Brigadier, Jo Grant, Elizabeth Shaw, Harry Sullivan, Ben Jackson, Polly Wright, Tegan Jovanka, Nyssa of Traken if we can find her, and the same goes for Melanie Bush!" By this point, the Doctor has gotten himself quite excited.

"Nyssa and Tegan?" Aliya found herself asking with paralleled excitement, not thinking it over much.

"Of course, you're related to Nyssa, aren't you? After the Doctor told me what species you were, I did a bit of research out of curiosity, and she was the only survivor," River's words made Aliya pause for a moment before she remembered what the Doctor had told River about her origins, and she quickly nodded.

"She's only met me twice before, and I was so much younger that I doubt she'd recognize me," Aliya said thoughtfully, inwardly noting how easily she came up with answers that mostly were not direct lies.

"Ooh, and Wilf!" The Doctor had for all intents and purposes ignored both of them, and was still going off on his own tangent. "Mind you, he still thinks I'm dead, should probably get around to telling him that I'm not."

"Just write them all down with coordinates and dates, and we can deliver invitations and pick them all up," Aliya instructed, and he immediately snatched up some paper to scribble down the list of names, locations and various time zones.

River immediately seized the other woman's hand and began tugging her towards the corridor. "And while he's doing that, we're going to find you a bridesmaid dress that will make you the second most beautiful woman there." Upon seeing Aliya's raised eyebrow, she added, "No one is more beautiful than the bride on the wedding day."

"I suppose that makes sense."

* * *

After double checking the invitations with the Doctor's list, Aliya slipped them into her coat pocket before heading to the console room. It was strange for her, being alone in the TARDIS, but the happy couple were both at the church getting themselves ready. She would be popping in to check on them, of course, but she had to get the invitations sent first.

Many of the names were familiar; she had either heard of them or met them all at least briefly, except for a few. Who were Ben and Polly, and why were they in India? She delivered their invitation to their orphanage first, before spending the better part of half an hour tracking down Nyssa of Traken, who apparently had ended up at a university in the Andromeda galaxy, having become a Professor of Cybernetics. Aliya tried to avoid making contact with the people she was delivering to, just because she would be seeing them so soon regardless.

When she was almost done, she popped into Sarah Jane's for her penultimate stop, and decided to make the delivery in person. After ringing the doorbell, she patiently waited for a response, and immediately grinned when Sarah Jane answered the door.

"Hello, Sarah Jane," Aliya said cheerily as she held out the invitation, "I just need to give you this."

The invitation itself was very tasteful and simple, but not so much that River would have found it dull. On the front it bore the words '_You are invited to the wedding of the Doctor and River Song' _and there was a gorgeous picture of the spouses-to-be in the centre. The inside read:

_You are invited to the wedding of the Doctor and River Song, in the church of Temporal Principle on the planet Kalsa. _

_Expect to be picked up by the Maid of Honour precisely a week after receiving this invitation, and taken to the church where the ceremony is taking place in the TARDIS. _

_Both the Doctor and River hope sincerely that you can attend, so that they can share a very special day with their closest friends. _

Sarah Jane's eyes grew wide as she read the words inside, clearly surprised. "You did mention her to me, but I didn't realise how serious you were being…the Doctor's really getting _married?"_

"The idea is just as strange to me as it is to you," Aliya laughed, "But if you can, just don't mention to River what I am, the Doctor is for some reason very iffy about her knowing, he seems to think it will put me in danger due to her constant travelling through space and his own timeline. You know how he frets."

"Oh, of course," Sarah Jane shrugged.

"Bring Rani and Clyde and Luke, please, we'd all love to see them," Aliya added with excitement that was beginning to rub off on the human woman.

"Yes, I will, I suppose I'll see you there!" The journalist nodded eagerly, smiling.

"Definitely, but I do have deliver this last invitation, so I'll see you in a week," The Time Lady waved goodbye as she began to step away from the doorstep, and Sarah Jane waved back.

As she entered the TARDIS once more, Aliya looked down at the final invitation she was holding in her hand, and frowned a little before setting the coordinates for Chiswick.

* * *

Wilfred Mott was busy having a pleasant Saturday morning breakfast alone in the kitchen when he heard a noise he had never expected to hear again in his life. Heart full of anticipation, he immediately burst outside to see the blue box parked down the street as if it belonged there. He spied the door slowly opening, and waited for the man to step out, either the one in pinstripes or a new one who was somehow the same…only to be bemused when a blonde woman emerged instead, her eyes downcast at the piece of paper she was holding. After scanning the street numbers, she fixed her eyes on the house behind him and began to walk.

It took a minute for her to notice him standing in the street watching her because she was staring at what she was carrying so intently. But when she did, she halted in her tracks and ran her eyes over him quizzically. They were still a decent number of metres apart by this point, but the detail didn't seem to bother her.

"Are you Wilfred Mott?" She called out while taking more steps forward.

"Yes," He said, unsurely, and took her in when she was a few metres away from him. "What's it to you? Where's the Doctor?"

"Trying to get comfortable in a tuxedo, I imagine…he'll mostly likely need help with the cufflinks," The woman couldn't help but smirk at her own prediction, "But he wanted me to give you this."

Wilf took the invitation she was holding out to him and read it over quickly. "Blimey, look at him, he's just a baby now…and getting married, who'd have thought?" The remark made the woman laugh, her mismatched eyes warm and fondly amused.

"Oddly enough, that's been almost everyone's reaction, of the few I've seen," She replied, "And I'm the Maid of Honour, so expect to see me in a week."

"You? What did you say your name was?" He inquired, and she shook her head ever so slightly.

"I didn't, but I'm Aliya…and it's a pleasure to meet you," Despite hesitating for a moment, she held out her hand in an offer to cordially shake hands, which he took.

"Well, nice to meet you too, I suppose," Wilfred shrugged passively, "So who's the lucky girl?"

"River Song, see, it says there on the invitation," Aliya pointed out with a frown, not quite understanding.

He waved her hand away. "No, I can see that, but it's just a name and a picture, isn't it? I mean, sure, she's easy on the eyes, but what's she like?"

"She's a gun-loving and time-travelling Professor of Archaeology from the 51st century," Aliya said fondly, and laughed at Wilf's raised eyebrow.

"Sounds like a handful…bit like him, I suppose," He chuckled a little unsurely.

"Try travelling with them. It's ridiculous, and they tease me when I wear woollen hats. I blame River, but prefer to tease the Doctor because he's my best friend, it's a tough decision."

"I thought the Maid of Honour was with the bride," The old man speculated, and she nodded, grinning.

"I'm with both, and speaking of which, I really do need to be getting back to them. River will be managing perfectly, but the Doctor is probably going as mad as a Raxacoricofallapatorian badger, and will need my help because the Best Man isn't there yet," Aliya looked back over her shoulder at the TARDIS before whipping back around to smile at him. "I'll see you in a week."

"Yes, alright then," He said, suddenly strangely excited, but then one last question popped into his mind, "But this River Song woman…is she good for him? The Doctor?"

A massive, beaming smile spread across Aliya's face. "She's more perfect for him than anyone in the universe. You'll see!" With that, she waved before turning around and walking back to the TARDIS. He kept his eyes on it and watched it disappear before smiling to himself a little and clutching the invitation a little tighter in his hand.

* * *

The very nervous bride was sitting on the window seat of the room she was supposed to be getting ready in, and her head snapped up when she heard the door open. Upon seeing that it was her Maid of Honour, returned from delivering invitations.

"Aliya!" River said with what sounded like relief to the other woman. "Are all the invitations out?"

Aliya nodded reassuringly. "Yes, and I'll go back for everyone once we're both dressed. I should probably check on the Doctor as well, though. Lord knows what kind of mess he might have gotten himself into. But let's get you into this dress first."

"No, you first!"

"Alright then."

Ten minutes later, both women were dressed, and River was doing their hair and her own makeup due to Aliya being cosmetically handicapped. While Aliya eyed herself in the mirror with scrutiny, River brushed the last bit of powder across her own face before getting up and crossing to the mirror.

The Time Lady was running her hands down the sides of her dress as if she was unsure about it. The fabric was a light blue satin that brushed the floor, and was bunched slightly diagonally along the skirt. It was also strapless, something she was not entirely sure that she was comfortable with.

"Come here," River said, only to get a wary look in response. "Look, you might not let me put any makeup on you-"

"-Because I hate it and it makes my face itch-"

"-But at least let me do this," River asked, and gently slid the matching butterfly clip into her friend's hair. "There, now you're ready."

Aliya stared at her reflection and found herself smiling. "Yes, I suppose I am," She murmured as River stood by her.

"See, I look in the mirror and see a beautiful woman who could take on anything she wanted," The bride said, and under Aliya's confused raised eyebrow, smirked. "Of course, you're there too." Mirth danced in River's eyes, and Aliya laughed with her, wondering what else she could have expected from the woman who - according to the Doctor - had asked three Sontarans if they were on a stag night.

Gingerly, she hugged River affectionately. "You look perfect, River."

"Yes, well, we certainly took enough time picking the right dress, I wouldn't have been happy if I didn't," Came the reply, and Aliya ran her eyes over the perfect wedding dress for the hundredth time.

It had sleeves up to the elbows and an intricately imbroidered bodice. The skirt was long and flouncy but slightly raised in the front to reveal the bright red stilettos she was wearing underneath. Aliya had taken one look at the towering six inch heels and vowed to never wear anything of the like, opting for strappy black flats herself, because she couldn't walk properly in heels. A small veil sat atop the mass of impossible curls that donned River's head.

Aliya was about to excuse herself and seek out the Doctor when River suddenly spoke out with surprising hesitance.

"Is it ridiculous that I'm nervous?"

Immediately struck by a dual urge to laugh and be comforting, Aliya tried to go for the latter. "Of course not. Doesn't everyone get nervous before they're married, no matter how much they love the other person?"

"It's not that," River said, her eyes fixed on her reflection, "The Doctor is the one thing I've been sure about in my life, besides archeology, it's just...the Doctor has travelled with so many people, touched so many lives, you and I both know that. What if they think I'm horrible, or not suited for him?"

"River..." Aliya frowned in disbelief as she put her hand atop River's shoulder, "They're all going to love you! You are perfect for the Doctor in almost every way, it's obvious to the entire universe. And you're not horrible, you're wonderful and clever and hilarious. Just be yourself and it will be fine. You and the Doctor are meant to be."

River took a deep inward breath and nodded. "Thanks for that."

"Any time, Miss Song," Aliya mock curtsied before heading for the door, "I'd better check on the Lord of Silliness himself, he's probably injured himself."

As she closed the door behind her, she heard River laughing.

* * *

"Why. Won't. You. Work!"

The Doctor's frustrated yelling carried through the door and had Aliya giggling before she even went inside the room he had been using to get ready.

"Oi, you, stop making such a fuss," She scolded as she came through, and he didn't turn around, just continued fiddling with one of his sleeves.

"No, because these cufflinks just won't work!" He said crossly.

"Well, using force isn't going to help," Aliya watched him and rolled her eyes with exasperated fondness.

"Yes, it is, because I'm cross!" He retorted irritably, and whipped around to undoubtably let another biting remark, but paused upon seeing her. "Oh, blimey." His eyes were slightly wide, clearly surprised at her appearance. Then he coughed nervously. "If River looks as good as you then I'm a dead Time Lord."

Allowing herself to smirk, Aliya crossed over to him before taking his sleeve in her hands. "Then you'd better get yourself ready for your next regeneration, because I look like a sack of potatoes compared to her."

"Potatoes, really?" He asked, and they both laughed just as she finished doing up his first cufflink. "You know, I always rather liked potatoes."

Aliya grinned up at him, rolling her eyes a little while moving on to his other sleeve. "Ah, but River's a wrapped parcel of jelly babies." The joke about his being partial to jelly babies in every body, particularly his fourth, caused them to chuckle again.

"Well, when you put it that way..." The Doctor said as Aliya finished up, "I suppose River's going to have to win this one." Aliya stuck out her tongue before grabbing his elbow and pulling him to stand in front of the mirror.

"There," She noted with satisfaction, "Your hair looks as ridiculous as always, but otherwise, you look great. Someone might even mistake you for someone with fashion sense."

"My. Hair. Is. Cool," He told her as he adjusted his bowtie, "And there's still one thing missing." Upon seeing Aliya's questioning look, he grabbed a nearby box and pulled out...a fez. After carefully putting it on his head, he again looked in the mirror, this time with much greater satisfaction. "Look at you, you handsome devil," he said to himself.

It took a lot of Aliya's self control to not start banging her forehead against the wall, and she instead just gave him an incredibly unimpressed look. "You can't be serious."

"I would never joke about a fez, it's too cool," He said, primping his jacket for a moment. "So, what do you think?"

"I think that River is going to kill you and the hat," Aliya answered flatly, but he only grinned harder.

"Ah, maybe on a regular day, Aliya, but do you know what Donna Noble taught me a very long time ago?" It was clear that he thought what he was about to say was genius, so Aliya merely sighed, giving in.

"What?" The question was more irritable than anything else, but it didn't phase the groom for a second.

"Wedding dresses don't have pockets," He said grandly, and Aliya blinked, having not expected the answer, but she didn't get time to answer. "Wedding dresses don't have pockets! I know, who knew?" He mimed his head exploding with the figurative knowledge, only for Aliya to cock an eyebrow.

"Well, I suppose that's interesting, but how is that relevant?"

"It means that there's no way she could have her blaster, so me and my fez are completely safe," The Doctor grinned proudly, and she just rolled her eyes.

"Just consider yourself lucky that I'm not going to do anything about it myself," She muttered, and trailed off as she looked up at him again. He noticed and became a little worried.

"What, what is it?"

Aliya shook her head ever so slightly. "You're getting married. Little Theta Sigma is marrying a time-traveling archeologist who likes guns. When you set out from Gallifrey, who'd have thought you'd get here?"

"A lot can change in 900 years," He replied with a small smile.

"Not as much as you might think," Aliya said vaguely, smiling back. "You're still the same man deep down. And I'm so proud of you." She stretched up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek fleetingly. Although he looked surprised by the action, he immediately scooped her up in a huge hug.

"Well I'm proud of you too," He whispered.

When they pulled away, Aliya found herself smiling, and adjusted his jacket slowly. "There, now you're...as ideal as you'll ever be."

"Oi!"

Aliya merely stuck her tongue out again and left the room with a quick wave.

There were guests who needed picking up.

* * *

**Everyone uber excited for the wedding? Great! Just hang in there, it will come around sooner than you think...**

**So, drop me a review to let me know what you think, and I'll want to write the next chapter that much quicker! You know how this works guys, come on. *nods encouragingly while pointing to review box* **

**Love you all, and hopefully see you all soon,**

**-MayFairy :) **


	40. The Wedding of the Doctor and River Song

**Now, had I known that this chapter was going to get so long that I was going to need to split up the wedding and the reception, this chapter would have been posted some time ago. But as I've only come to that realisation now, here we are. The good news is that the second half of this - the wild reception - is not far off, I already have most of the chapter written. **

**So, let's say a thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter: OptimisticLivvy, Evil Angel 215, Theta-McBride, Goodwolf1011, Coyote Soupus, goblindreamer, loulouflowerpower, GeoRach, Arinlianette, Sue Clover, ZackAttack96, Velvetpru'd, Mrs. 11th, Marmelatta, Caligo Origuu, LadyFfion, toavoidconversation, WarriorElf54, AliasMarie, JessieDear13, Guest, and Spirit-of-the-Rain! **

**That's 22 of you amazing people and I love you all. *huggles* Anonymous review replies at bottom of the chapter. **

**So, here's the wedding, long last! We've got Jaliya, past companion reunions, a Daliya fight...hope you enjoy! :) **

* * *

It had taken the Maid of Honour a long time to decide who to pick up first, but she realised that as the best man, Jack had rights to that privilege. The TARDIS landed silently outside the water tower in Cardiff, and Aliya waited until she heard a knock on the exterior doors before crossing over to them and pulling them open.

Sure enough, Captain Jack Harkness was standing there. He was donning his World War II coat over a tuxedo, and had a million-dollar grin on his face. It was so picturesque that Aliya simply had to laugh and grin back at him before heading back up to the console.

"I thought you might be the mysterious Maid of Honour…and as the Best Man, you do realise what the two of us have to do if the married couple elope or run off before the ceremony?" His mischievous look made her groan.

"Do I want to?"

Jack merely waggled his eyebrows at her and she rolled her eyes playfully. "Come on, it wouldn't be so bad, would it? I mean, I always thought that Time Lords never really had libidos, but since the Doctor is proving that wrong, it means you must have something in you too," Jack continued as she began to pilot the TARDIS, shooting glances at him all the while.

"And you think you're my type?" Aliya said once she'd moved away from the console, looking him in the eye.

"Honey, I'm everybody's type," He retorted, and at that she just snorted.

"Are you going to keep flirting with me this shamelessly throughout the whole day?" She inquired, genuinely curious, and this time it was his turn to laugh at her.

"Only as long as you keep flirting back," He replied. The challenge was accepted in the Time Lady's eyes and she smirked back at him.

"Well, we could be here a while, then."

Jack burst out laughing and eyed her with approval. "The Doctor's going to tell us to stop."

"The Doctor isn't the dictator of our lives, and he flirts just as shamelessly with River," Aliya shrugged, "And since when do you let the Doctor spoil your fun? All his stories about you make you sound so daring and incorrigible."

"I _am_ that daring and incorrigible!"

"So prove it."

"Does the Doctor disapprove of sex on the console?"

"Yes."

"Shame."

"Isn't it, though," Aliya's voice was dryly sarcastic while Jack just chuckled at her expression. "Unfortunately I have other people to pick up. We've landed, so get out there and make sure the Doctor hasn't managed to get himself all worked up again."

"How can we have landed when it didn't make the noise?"

At that Aliya's face split into a very smug grin. "The Doctor has never accepted that you aren't supposed to leave the brakes on, hence the wheezing noise we all know so well. It's not actually good for a ship this old." The TARDIS made a noise that sounded very indignant, and she gave it a soothing pat. "Sorry, girl, but you know it's true better than anyone. Now get out, Harkness, or I'll stop flirting."

Jack mock saluted before walking out of the door with his usual swagger, and Aliya internally laughed before deciding that the next person she needed to talk to was Nyssa. The TARDIS was soon back in the Andromeda galaxy university, and the Time Lady took in a deep breath of preparation before opening the door to a slightly older, but still very beautiful Nyssa of Traken, her brunette curls of hair as perfect as the other woman remembered them being so many years before.

"Hello," Nyssa said with a tone of surprise, "Are you the Maid of Honour?"

"Yes, um…" Aliya found herself frowning. She forced herself to shake her head as she headed up to the console again. "You wouldn't recognise me, but we've met before."

"Really? You don't look familiar in the least, I'm afraid…goodness, the TARDIS has changed a lot since I left it!" The professor in cybernetics took the change to gaze around as she stepped inside and closed the doors, but immediately noted that Aliya was working with the console, with too much familiarity for someone who had just been taught on a whim. "Are you a Time Lord? Is that why you can fly the TARDIS, and how we could have met before without me knowing you now?"

"Yes." Aliya slowly met her eyes, unsure of the situation. "I'd forgotten how bright you are. You could say that I'm used to the Doctor's friends being a bit slow, but you're not human like most of them, I suppose."

"I thought that all the Time Lords were dead…only I'd realised that the Doctor survived. I only glimpsed him for a second, but I knew it was him by the way he was staring," Nyssa said, "So which one are you? I don't suppose you're his friend? The one who helped him and I with Omega?"

Aliya felt her eyes lit up with the hope that flared in her heart. "You remember! I wasn't sure if you would, considering how we only met twice."

"Aliya, wasn't it? Or Angel?" Nyssa's good memory made Aliya smile brightly.

"Aliya will do just fine…but I'll admit that I need to ask you a favour, but it is completely the Doctor's fault that I have to do so," The blonde said with a sigh, "To put it simply, the Doctor doesn't want people to know that another Time Lord is alive, it's not exactly common knowledge, and while his Earth bound friends knowing does no harm…well, his wife-to-be travels all through space and time and gets up to a world of mischief, so he's decided that the information is best kept from her. I think he's being ridiculous…" A shrug made Nyssa all the more confused.

"I don't see how this has anything to do with me."

"When River asked what species I was, the first thing that came into the Doctor's head was to say that I was a descendant from the last survivor of Traken…which is you. The Doctor wants me to ask if you could play along with anything that River says, but…I'm tired of lying to her, and so I'm going to tell her. Which means that if the Doctor tries to tell you otherwise then please don't listen to him, because it's my secret and I get to decide if it remains secret," Aliya looked down at her lap. "It's a big ask, I know, especially considering you're much closer to the Doctor than you are to me, but-"

"I'll do it, Aliya, you know how against lying I am, it goes against everything I grew up with," Nyssa said with a smile, "I think that it's wonderful you want to tell her the truth."

After letting out a massive breath of relief that she had been holding far too long, Aliya laughed a little nervously. "Possibly keep that thought in mind when the Doctor gets angry. I don't want to make him angry on his wedding day, and part of me feels awful, but I can't stand lying to her, she's one of my best friends…" In an attempt to keep the troubling thoughts away, she landed the TARDIS at the next destination, which happened to be 13 Bannerman Rd. The more people to have as a distraction, the better, in her opinion.

The four people waiting outside the doors made her beam, and she was quick to hug all of them before ushering Sarah Jane, Luke, Clyde and Rani into the TARDIS.

"You all look brilliant," Aliya said while setting the coordinates for Martha and Mickey's joint address, "Oh, and all of you, meet Nyssa of Traken. Nyssa, this is Sarah Jane, Luke, Rani and Clyde."

"Are you all friends of the Doctor's too?" Nyssa inquired brightly while shaking hands with Rani, and they all nodded.

"I used to travel with him," Sarah Jane added, and Nyssa smiled.

"So did I…I wonder which one of us was first?" She looked at the Time Lady in the room expectantly, who frowned a little.

"Sarah Jane…she travelled with his fourth body, the one with the scarf, whereas you were with his fifth, Nyssa, the one with the celery who – who liked cricket," Aliya answered, and found herself unexpectedly choke on a sentence at the thought of the young blonde Doctor that she and Nyssa and known so well, suddenly struck by the sentiment she had used to have for him.

"Oh, but I knew that Doctor too!" Nyssa exclaimed excitedly. "That's what he looked like when I first met him…he regenerated so soon, but I knew him."

"So I was there when he began and you were there when he ended," Sarah Jane deducted, only for Aliya to frown.

"You make him sound like an event rather than a person," She said, "Although I never realised that you saw him regenerate as well."

"Oh, I liked his third body very much," Sarah nodded, and Aliya chuckled a bit.

"So did I…he was charming yet so quick."

"Exactly."

At that point the TARDIS made a noise to indicate their arrival at the next house and Sarah Jane flung open the doors only to immediately share a hug with Mickey, and then a slightly pregnant Martha who looked positively glowing.

"You're pregnant, congratulations!" Sarah said with a wide smile. "How's freelancing?"

"It's brilliant, though we're on a break for the moment, what with this one on the way," Martha replied with a nod to her curved stomach.

Aliya noticed Nyssa looking ever so slightly worried at the exchange, nervous even, and moved in to talk to her. "I think most of the recent ones have all met a few times…except for me. But don't worry, you are in no exaggeration the nicest person I've ever met, so you'll be fine."

"So which one of you's the maid of honour, then?" Mickey asked as his eyes flicked between the two aliens aboard.

"That would be me," Aliya said, giving a small, nervous wave. "I'm Aliya, I suppose you could say that I'm 'the latest one'. I believe I remember one of the Doctor's old friends complaining about the Brigadier calling her that once. Speaking of which, Sarah Jane, Nyssa, why don't we pick him up next?" Sarah Jane's face lit up like a lightbulb at the mention of the old UNIT commander, and the blonde woman grinned as she set the coordinates. "Nyssa, can you help me with this? It'll speed everything up if you can rotate the vector loop to the right a bit, it seems to be stuck." The TARDIS chose that point to start making a lot of noise, and Aliya rolled her eyes. "Well, I'm sorry, just be grateful I'm flying you without the brakes on!" She ran her fingers over the controls and wrestled with the spacial handbrake until it gave way. Once they had taken off – smoothly, thanks to the stabilisers – Aliya became aware of the two newcomers staring at her.

"You can fly the TARDIS," Martha breathed with surprise as she and her husband joined everyone on the console platform, and Aliya laughed.

"I had no idea," She teased, and briefly looked at Sarah Jane. "We've landed, it's safe to let him in now." The woman beamed and went to open the doors while Martha continued to stare with mild confusion that Mickey was sharing.

"How can we have landed, it didn't make that noise, or shake or anything!" He said, looking around, "And why does it look different?"

"I think the Doctor had a violent regeneration and it needed to rebuild…and it's not supposed to make noises or shake, he simply neglects proper use of stabilisers and brakes," Aliya rolled her eyes fondly while Nyssa giggled appreciatively.

"You haven't changed much," The Trakenite said, and the blonde smiled.

"I hope that's a good thing," She lifted an eyebrow and the brunette woman nodded.

"Dear god, it's gotten even bigger!" The Brigadier had arrived, with Sarah Jane content at his side despite his ability to get by with his cane. "Where's the man himself?"

"Threatening – no, actually planning to wear a fez to his own wedding," Aliya answered from atop the console platform, and every person in the room turned to stare at her incredulously. "Oh, don't worry, if I know her, and I do, his bride's going to shoot it off head with her blaster before she takes one step down the aisle, I just wish that I could save him the pain of getting another of his beloved hats destroyed." Everyone was still looking at her with confusion and she merely shrugged. "It's a regular occurrence, he wears a stupid hat, she shoots it, it's practically how they say hello."

"Sounds as though he's gotten a lot less adverse to guns since I last saw him," The old man said only for Aliya to shake her head.

"Only when it comes to her," She answered with a grin, "Now, Nyssa, I think we'll grab Tegan next so that you have someone to talk to, and then Amy and Rory, so _I _have someone to talk to."

"Tegan?" Nyssa's eyes widened with hope and a relieved smile appeared on her face. "So she's alright, nothing happened to her after I left?"

"She was campaigning for Aboriginal Rights in Australia, that's what I heard," Sarah Jane put in suddenly.

"She _was _Australian," The Brigadier shrugged.

"Yes, but if you've been looking her up from your time, Sarah Jane, don't tell her too many details, because I'm going to be collecting her from 1987, so she won't have done a lot of it yet," Aliya said as she indicated to Nyssa to assist her with the TARDIS, "But I'm trying to pick you all up from points not too far from where you left the Doctor, we don't want you looking too different."

"It will be so good to see Tegan again!" Nyssa said happily as she flicked the dematerialisation lever.

Aliya had to mirror the woman's happiness, as she too was excited to see the human woman again, considering that Tegan – along with Turlough – was the companion of the Doctor's she knew the best. "I know. Because you weren't there, but the Doctor sort of returned to Gallifrey, and…" She trailed off for a moment before smirking. "Well, I claimed that he kidnapped me, but really I just ran away with him, Tegan, and Turlough."

"You came with him?" Nyssa's interest had immediately been caught. "I know that he asked you once, but you said no."

"I wasn't ready, and as it turned out, I never really was…I left for the same reason Tegan did, and directly after her…it was wrong of me, but I apologised a long time ago," Aliya's mind had drifted back to her memories of her fourth body and an expected ache for the old times hit her.

"What was the reason?" Nyssa asked with slight concern, and Aliya looked down at the floor, somewhat ashamed of her past actions.

"Neither of us could handle the death and tragedy that came with it," she murmured before looking up with determination in her eyes, "But I'm stronger now, and it's not really about that anymore, travelling with him isn't exactly optional for me," She said, and quickly made to change the subject, "Open the door for Tegan, will you? You're the only one she'll recognise." The Trakenite nodded and was quick to go down to the door.

Tegan looked so shocked to see Nyssa standing there that she didn't move for several moments. "Nyssa? Is that really you?"

"It's really me," Nyssa nodded as tears began to spring into both of their eyes, and the two women hugged fiercely, both crying, "I told you that I wouldn't die there easily."

"I guess that makes you the braveheart, and not me."

"No, it will always be you," Nyssa sobbed as she pressed her nose into Tegan's shoulder, clutching her closer, "It's so good to see you again."

Once their reunion had moved on, the doors were shut and they were off to collect more guests. Within minutes, the TARDIS had landed again, and the door was this time opened from the outside. A very pregnant yet ecstatic Amy Pond strutted into the TARDIS wearing a dress as short as her usual skirts, followed by her more humble husband.

"Al-aya!" Amy exclaimed fondly, making her way up to the platform as quickly as she could to embrace her old fellow companion. "Hope you've been keeping the Doctor out of trouble."

"I don't think even she could do that," said Rory, who waved awkwardly at Aliya and smiled.

"Of course I couldn't, but I managed to calm down his panicking bride," She said offhandedly, flying the TARDIS as she talked.

"River? Panicking? Is that even possible?" Amy chuckled a bit at the thought.

"She was worried that the Doctor's friends wouldn't like her, and I told her how mad she was being, now if you'll excuse me, Amy, I have more guests to pick up."

Aliya didn't see that Tegan had caught the name Amy had used to address the Maid of Honour and how the Australian was now frowning in confusion as she eyed the woman she now knew to be a Time Lady she had once known very well indeed.

"Alright, everybody out!"

One by one, the mass of people poured out of the small box. Every companion who knew of regeneration and was able to come, plus a few others, was present, and they all sat down, chatting and finding out when the others had all known the Doctor.

Aliya, however, knew that if she was going to tell River her true identity before the wedding, it had to be immediately, and so she slipped away to join the bride in her preparation room.

"Everyone's here, we'll be able to start soon, the reverend is ready too," Aliya informed River, who was standing in front of the mirror, veil over her eyes as she stared at her reflection. "But I have to tell you something first, River."

"What, sweetie?" River's eyes shifted to regard her Maid of Honour with slight confusion.

"The Doctor doesn't want you to know, but I believe that it's my secret, and I'm sick of lying to you," Aliya grabbed River's hands and forced herself to look River in the eye, "River…I'm not from Traken."

At that, the bride's eyebrow lifted and she laughed heartily. "Oh, sweetie, I know that already! I looked it up and the story didn't check out. But I figured that you must have had a reason for lying to me, and I knew you'd tell me the truth in the end, you hate lying too much."

Aliya found herself laughing, albeit a little nervously. "You know me so well, River, it catches me by surprise sometimes."

"It's more fun that way," River winked, "So…are you going to tell me where you're really from, then?"

"I think it would just be easier if…" Aliya trailed off, biting her lip as she took River's hand and placed it on the left side of her chest, across one of her hearts, "Feel that?"

Although she nodded, River was clearly no longer all-knowing. "Sweetie, why are you-"

At that moment, Aliya moved River's hand across her chest to sit across her right heart. The expression on the archaeologist's face faltered a little and she stared at her hand for several seconds before looking up.

"You're a Time Lord," She breathed, awed, "Part of me always wondered if you were, in a way it's the only thing that explains the way you two interact. And why he's so protective over you."

"He's so protective that he didn't want you to know," Aliya rolled her eyes, but was inwardly so glad that River hadn't taken the news in a bad way, "But I wasn't having it. He's not going to be happy though. I should probably go and tell him that I told you."

"Oh, but it's brilliant!" River exclaimed, beaming. "Because I'm only human, I won't be around forever, but if you're a Time Lord then you can stay with him, he never has to be alone again!"

It couldn't be helped; Aliya found herself grinning and being hugged. "Well, yes, I suppose! But let's get you two married first."

"Oh, if we must," River teased, and Aliya gave her eyes a roll as she adjusted the veil on the flawless bride's hair.

"I'll be back, I just need to tell the Doctor about this, and then we should be ready to start. Hopefully he doesn't get _too _angry, because this really isn't the place for a fight," She made her way back to the door. "I'll see you soon."

* * *

Aliya slipped into the Doctor's room, knowing that he was supposed to be going out to the main room any minute, but needing to be the one to break the news to him.

"Jack, could you give us a moment?" She asked quietly, and surprisingly, Jack simply nodded and left the two of them alone.

"What is it, can't it wait, I am about to get married, you know…" The Doctor said, not entirely focused on her, more so on his bowtie.

"I did something you told me not to, and for that I'm sorry, but I'm not sorry for doing it," She blurted out quickly, with such an evidently guilty voice that the Doctor abruptly turned around to analyse her with his solemn green eyes.

"What, what did you do?" He slowly asked, brow furrowing.

Aliya lifted her chin up, knowing that she needed to hold her own in that moment, "I told River what I really am."

The effect was instant; his expression darkened and anger clouded his eyes as they narrowed. "Why would you do something that stupid, Aliya?"

"Because I'm sick of lying to my friend about something as huge as my identity! My race is part of who I am, and I don't want River to know just part of me!" Aliya retorted hotly, crossing her arms.

"Why can't you follow simple instructions?! Do you have absolutely no regard for your own safety whatsoever? I specifically told you not to tell her that!" The Doctor's voice was gradually rising, as she had known that it would.

"Why were you so determined for her to not know the truth? Do you really have so little faith in the woman you are about to marry to not keep the secret of one of her best friends? Or are you so goddamn conceited that you want my identity all to yourself?"

His face twisted with scorn. "I trust River completely, and why would I want to keep your identity to myself?"

"You certainly don't act as if you trust her, and perhaps you would keep it to yourself so that you could continue to be melodramatic as 'the last of the Time Lords' while keeping me as your hidden comfort, because frankly, it wouldn't surprise me!" Aliya speculated with a roll of her eyes, and her words seemed to offend him greatly, as something dangerous flashed through his eyes.

"You have _no idea _what it is like being the only one of your kind left in existence, you can't even imagine the pain or the emptiness, so don't act as if I'm some attention seeking child-"

"No, because I only went through 300 years of complete mental isolation, obviously I have _no clue _what no psychic presence feels like-" The Time Lady said sarcastically, only to be interrupted.

"You weren't even aware of it! You couldn't feel anything!"

"How the fuck would you know what I could and couldn't feel? Stop acting like a deity and consider that you don't know what every other person in the universe is thinking!" She yelled indignantly. "But you can't, because you can't even trust your own fiancé, who has kept secrets all her life flawlessly, who doesn't give you spoilers about your non-linear relationship, to not tell the hostile universe about me? Your logic is so severely screwed up, I honestly can't even call it logic! What in the name of Rassilon goes on in your head, anyway?"

The mention of Rassilon didn't help the situation, it just made the Doctor's eyes darker. "Stop using that name!"

"What name?" For a moment, her anger had faded to give way to confusion.

"Rassilon!"

"Why?"

"Because he is the reason that I couldn't save Romana, because he corrupted every single Time Lord left alive on Gallifrey, who put the Master's drums in his head for his own selfish gain, who tried to kill everything I held dear, who destroyed every great thing about the Time Lord society in the same way that he created it! So stop swearing by him as if he is a deity to be worshipped, because he is the exact opposite!" The Doctor yelled, only for Aliya to blink briefly and then latch onto his anger once more.

"Well, I would have known that if you had actually shown me the Time War, but because you've so blatantly refused to do so, I don't know any better!"

"Then you should stop assuming that you know best and just try being humble for once!"

"I'm surprised that you even know what that word means, you've never been humble in your life!"

Both Time Lords were fuming and yelling, and neither of them had stopped to consider that a large number of guests could be listening right outside.

"You know what, forget being humble, just stay out of my way, alright? Keep flirting with Jack like a teenager and have shenanigans behind a curtain like the typical wedding slags you both are, because I am sick of you being unreliable!" The Doctor spat, and she flinched at the jibe making her out to be promiscuous.

"I'm not going to be in your way, because it stinks of age and pompous ego and an inability to ever consider that someone else might vaguely be able to empathise with you, or to trust anyone with a piece of information that really isn't that special! You might be able to fool the world into thinking that you're a playful young man, but I know that you're just a bitter old mizer who secretly enjoys all the misery, you bloody masochist!" Aliya yelled at him forcefully before turning around and storming out of the room, pushing past Jack and some others to get to the door which led to River. She burst in and sat down on the chair in the corner, trying to control her shaking hands.

Her fingers ran across her face fretfully before knotting themselves in her lap. Suddenly they were encased by River's hands, and Aliya looked up to see the bride watching her.

"How much could you hear?" The Time Lady whispered questioningly, and River shrugged.

"Enough to know that it was one your more brutal fights…but I've heard enough of them to know that the moment we're walking up that aisle you two are going to meet eyes and everything is going to be forgiven," She said, and Aliya looked up at her incredulously, completely unbelieving.

"I said all that to him, and he said all that to me, and you think that we're just going to forgive each other? How?"

"Because I know the two of you!" River laughed. "You could fight until one of you was half dead but the moment something important happens you go back to being best friends, you can't help it! Now, what do you say that we get out there and start this wedding?"

After taking a deep breath, Aliya nodded and rose from the chair to fetch River's bouquet of white lilies. "You'd better be right about this, or else I just ruined your wedding before it started."

"Oh, believe me, I'm right," River primped herself one last time as she shot Aliya a wink through the mirror, "I always am."

"Well then, let's get this wedding started."

* * *

Ten minutes later, the guests were seated and the Doctor was in place at the front of the church with Jack by his side. A fez adorned the groom's head and no amount of convincing could get him to remove it, so everyone had given up. Harry Sullivan was kind enough to get a record player going, and soon the wedding march was coming out of it, a lovely upbeat rendition.

The doors of the church opened and Aliya came through them, a bouquet of pale pink flowers in her hands. Sure enough, as River had predicted, the moment her eyes met the Doctor's, all the anger seeped away and was replaced by the powerful sentiment of their strong friendship, and she could see the same had happened to him. Of course, a very large part of her side was due to how ridiculous he looked in the fez, but he didn't need to be aware of that detail.

Soon the bride entered. But no one had even gotten a chance to admire how gorgeous she looked before a blast rang through the air. The fez shot off the Doctor's head and hit the back wall of the church, and his face became one of disbelief as he watched his betrothed blow the smoke off the tip of her alpha mison blaster.

"But…pockets! Wedding dresses don't have pockets!" He shouted out to her indignantly, and she smirked at him with amusement.

"They do if you ask nicely," She replied before making her way down the aisle. Soon she was next to him and the two of them shared a grin. It didn't matter that they constantly met in the wrong order, or that half of the time he didn't trust her.

They loved each other more than anything, and were about to show the universe.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today to witness the joining of the Doctor and River Song. These two people have an incredibly complex, non-linear relationship, which makes their determination to commit to each other all the more admirable. But if anyone has any reason why these two people should not be married, speak now," The reverend looked around amongst the guests, and then at the church doors, but no one spoke.

The Doctor looked into River's beautiful grey-green eyes and found himself smiling tenderly. In the appropriate wait for protesters, his eyes flicked to where Aliya was standing some way behind River. The woman in pale blue grinned widely at him, pride and joy shining in her eyes. It was all he needed to look back at the woman he was marrying and suddenly be fighting the urge to kiss her then and there.

"Wonderful. Now, Doctor, do you vow to be everything that River needs, to be with her in sickness and in health, to love her completely until death do you part?"

"I do," He said quietly, looking at River and somehow feeling more sure about her than anything in his whole life.

"And do you, River, vow to be everything that the Doctor needs, to be with him in sickness and in health, to love him completely until death do you part?"

"I most certainly do," River grinned. The reverend smiled and looked out at the guests.

"The bride and groom both have other vows in their own words, and we shall begin with the Doctor."

The Doctor slowly took the hands of the woman he was marrying, and held them in his own. "River, when I first met you…well, I can't really tell you, because it hasn't happened for you yet. But I didn't have a clue who you were. You were this mad, impossible woman who seemed to know me too well. And I'll admit, I didn't like it. But you proved to me so quickly how incredible you were and I knew that you were going to be someone very important to me. I know you so well now, and you're brilliant, and powerful, and very very good with a gun….a bit too good, somehow you've made me like it." He paused and smiled at her. "But I love everything about you. I love your hair, I love the way I can never tell what you're thinking, I love how we gang up on Aliya when she wears funny hats-"

"You're one to talk!" The offended party interjected before falling silent immediately again.

"But most of all I love that you've seen me at my worst and still accept me, and that while I might not always be able to trust you with information, I will always be able to trust you with my life. I love you, River Song, and I vow to never stop," The Doctor's hand brushed across her cheek and she smiled at him gently, more serious and mellow than he could remember her being recently.

All the guests found themselves smiling as well, as seeing their friend happy in such a way was strangely new but very welcome. The best man made a point of smiling at the Maid of Honour, too, indicating that he definitely agreed with her on the validity of the match.

Then it was River's turn. She briefly flicked a glance at all the people who would bear witness to what she was about to say, and grinned, albeit a bit unsurely. But all it took was one second of looking at the Doctor's goofy smile before she was completely confident in herself.

"Sweetie…of all of the women in the universe – and god knows you've met most of them – somehow it's me that's standing up here getting married to you. I'm not exactly sure how that happened. And even if we constantly have to worry about spoilers and timelines and firsts and lasts...in the end as long as we're together I couldn't care less what else happens," River suddenly broke off and laughed heartily at herself, "And I never thought that I would be this sappy in my life, but it's my wedding, so you're all going to let me get away with it. But I love you, Doctor. You stopped me from becoming a person I didn't want to be. I got a fresh start and my new life is full of adventures and running and monsters and I never want it to be any other way."

"For you and me, River, it never will be," The Doctor promised only for her to smirk in agreement. Jack brought forward the rings and the couple soon slid them onto each other's fingers. The reverend coughed and was about to close the ceremony when he was interrupted. Aliya stepped forward.

"There's one more aspect of the ceremony, the rite of Gallifreyan marriage," Aliya said to reverend, the couple getting married, and the guests, "We don't have to worry about the joining of their familial houses, but the pledging of souls and exchanging of true names is still vital. I'll be acting as the joiner in this circumstance."

River had learnt the few phrases she would need, and she held up her hand for the Doctor to interlock his fingers through. They pressed their foreheads together, completing the two physical acts needed for the ceremony to take place. The words that came out of Aliya's mouth – and would be used throughout the ceremony – were in Gallifreyan and most guests were quick to listen with interest.

"_Do you, Lord Doctor of Lungbarrow, pledge yourself to this woman and vow to love her, care for her, and provide for her for as long as she lives?" _Aliya found it almost strange to be speaking Gallifreyan again after using English for so long, and soon found it even more peculiar to have the Doctor answering back in kind.

"_Yes, I pledge myself to her," _He said solemnly, and nervously shot River a smile as Aliya began to talk again.

"_Do you, River Song of Terra, pledge yourself to this man and vow to love him, care for him, and provide for him as long as he lives?" _

"_Yes, I pledge myself to him." _

"_Then let yourselves exchange your true names." _

The archaeologist was quick to laugh a little, as she did not have a secret true name as Time Lords did, and she settled for whispering her full name – River Amie Song – into her Time Lord's ear. He giggled for a moment – as Amie ironically translated as 'sweetie' in French - before seriousness took over him. It seemed to take him an age to bring his lips next to her ear, but then he told someone his true name for the first time in all of his eleven lives.

River's heart panged with an iridescent and thunderous emotion that she couldn't identify, because the Doctor's name was so powerful and incredibly beautiful that she found herself with starry eyes. And that was coming from someone who didn't even understand the translation, though she would be sure to ask him about that aspect of his name later.

At that moment, River pulled the Doctor's head even closer to hers to cover his lips with a loving kiss. Immediately his arms wound around her waist as he pulled her closer and everyone in the church cheered. Being who they were, the kiss only deepened and became increasingly drawn-out until finally they broke apart for breath after almost half a minute.

"I now pronounce you man and wife," The reverend said, amused, "You may now kiss the bride…again."

The married couple exchanged a grin before River used her lingering hold on the sides of his face to kiss him again and partially defy the old saying, making a point to kiss the groom before he could kiss her. When the second kiss went on even longer than the first, Jack rolled his eyes, grinning.

"Okay, if you two get to do that, then I get to do this!" He announced grandly to the entire ensemble before striding over to the Maid of Honour and planting a large kiss on the Time Lady that let her utterly bemused. The Doctor and River at that point disconnected their lips to look around curiously, only to both frown in confusion.

"Did we just miss something?" The Doctor inquired unsurely, but Aliya shook her head, grinning, and briefly glanced at Jack.

"Not at all," She said. At that Jack chuckled triumphantly, waggling his eyebrows at her when the married couple's backs were turned.

At that point most of the guests were wondering what on Earth else was going to occur that night, considering that the reception hadn't even started yet.

* * *

**Please tell me I didn't botch the wedding up! Was River in character? AH I hope so...let me know in your reviews, guys! **

**I promise that the next chapter will be full of hilarity, multi-shipping, and fluff. It's actually slightly crack-ish in places but you'll like it, I'm sure. And it will be up soon, I've already got almost 6,000 words on it, but there's still a lot of key scenes to be written which I why I decided to split the chapters up. I'll see you all soon, I hope! :) **

**Love you all, **

**-MayFairy :)**

**p.s. we are getting close to 700 reviews (WOW you guys are so amazing I never expected to get that many), so just a reminder to make sure you review because the 700th reviewer shall get a kiriban to which they can dictate what they like! It can be a canon one-shot, or one set within this series, it's entirely up to the person who is the 700th reviewer. **

Anonymous Review Replies:

_WarriorElf54:_

Well hopefully this didn't disappoint your excitement for the wedding! And yes I have been watching Series 7, I am loving it so far, how about you?

_Guest:_

It's so nice to hear that you love my story! Hopefully some of the Jaliya flirting/kiss has helped sate you for now, but I promise a LOT more Jaliya in the next chapter, and it's all very fun. Thanks so much for your review! :)


	41. A Wild Reception

***collapses from exhaustion* I did it, guys. It's here, it's completed, and it's over 10,000 words...but it's done. The wedding reception. Though don't go thinking that we are totally done with drunken Jaliya, there will be a bit more of that next chapter before the Doctor and River get back from their honeymoon. **

**Speaking of...OMG I AM NOT COHERENT AFTER WATCHING THE ANGELS TAKE MANHATTAN BECAUSE DOCTOR/RIVER IS INARGUABLY CANON NOW GUYS AND THEY WERE JUST TOO ADORABLE. And for you guys, that means that the honeymoon will practically write itself and you lot will be getting that chapter hopefully quite soon. ;) **

**Now, reviews, thanks to: loulouflowerpower, Marmelatta, OptimisticLivvy, LadyFfion, Goodwolf1011, watch the stars, fanfreak4ever, Guest, AliasMarie, Mrs. 11th, goblindreamer, Caligo Origuu, Spirit-of-the-Rain, and Sue Clover! **

**You're all brilliant. :) Replies to the anonymous reviews can be found at the bottom of the chapter. **

**Now, this chapter is long, slightly ridiculous, a bit multi-pairing (though I swear the characters did that, not me XD), but hopefully enjoyable. We learn a bit more about River's background too, because I felt that the story was getting too far away from canon so I made an adjustment which fixes that quite a bit. **

* * *

"Come on, you two, the married couple have to have the first dance!"

At Aliya's shout, the Doctor and River were quick to make their way to the centre of the paved courtyard in the gardens and strike up a dance to the slow music emitting from the vintage record player. The Time Lord immediately decided to let his wife lead him in the dance as he wasn't too good on his feet unless it was his personal style of goofy dancing.

But suddenly there was a blip in the music, and it suddenly changed to a cheerier, slightly more upbeat song. They briefly stopped to look over at the record player and see the Maid of Honour and Best Man exchanging triumphant smirks. Unfazed, they continued to dance, and began to laugh when the song hit the chorus.

_And I know that someday it will all work out, _

_You'll make me work so we can work to work it out, _

_And I promise you kid, that I give so much more than I get,_

_I just haven't met you yet! _

"You know, River, I think they've found our perfect song," The Doctor said with amusement, and River chuckled.

"I think you're right, my love," She agreed.

"So how does it feel to be married? Can you already find yourself slowing down with the marital boredom?"

"Actually, sweetie, I was just thinking about how much we're going to enjoy our honeymoon," River winked at him, and he promptly turned red.

"Yes, well, there's that too, I suppose," came the slightly nervous reply, but he did smile, looking pleased despite himself. Then he began making their dance more vigorous and fun, and both of them laughed at each other as the strange joy that came with dancing to cheerful music over took them. When they cast a few glances around, many of the guests had broken off into couples, with Aliya and Jack zipping past in a quick yet traditional waltz, Ben and Polly doing brilliantly together, pregnant Amy and pregnant Martha slowly dancing with Rory and Mickey respectively…and the Brigadier had even convinced Liz Shaw to give dancing with him a try. It was obvious that she was more interested in talking to him than the actual moves, but she was smiling and that was what mattered to the Doctor as his eyes rested on her.

Meanwhile, Aliya and Jack were engaging in flirtatious verbal sparring as they waltzed across the cobblestone courtyard.

"You know, you could use a bit more work on your waltzing," Jack teased, and she made a point of stepping on his foot with her black flats.

"I have other priorities in my life," She rolled her eyes, and he spun her around as an answer, earning him a glare that she sent his way. "Nobody's perfect."

"The Doctor certainly likes to act like Time Lords are," Jack pointed out. He wasn't sure what reaction he had been expecting, but it was not the condescending laugh that she let out.

"I suppose he would, having been the only person to say or being able to prove so until recently…it's not true, though…Time Lords were people too, you know!" Aliya then paused before adding, "A Time Lord would be either an incredibly interesting and individual person, someone you would want to keep around for at least a little while…or, in most cases of the ones who lived on Gallifrey their whole lives, they would be completely dull and far too focused on rules."

Jack, clearly interested, nodded seriously for a moment before the playful twinkle returned to his eyes. "So which were you?"

She chuckled again and shrugged blatantly. "I was definitely the latter at a few stages of my lives…maybe I'm special in the sense that I'm neither typically boring or interesting."

"You're interesting to me, but I can be easily impressed," Jack winked and she made a point of rolling her eyes.

"Well, thanks," She said, "I might not be boring, but I'm not interesting in the same way that the Doctor or the Master are-"

"You know the Master?"

"Very well, unfortunately."

"He's dead now," Jack said it almost as though he was waiting for a correction, checking that he was right. She nodded slowly.

"Yes, but he's been dead many times before and it's never stopped him," The Time Lady sighed, "He's in a Time Lock now though, and if anything can stop him, that will."

Jack cocked an inquiring eyebrow immediately. "Time Lock?"

"It's a long story and I don't really know it, but maybe I can find out and tell you next time," Her offered answer was met by a cheeky and suggestive grin.

"There's going to be a next time?" He waggled his eyebrows and she just laughed while shaking her head at him.

"If you behave yourself!" She scolded, and just to make a point his hand drifted down her back to cup her rear, and while she didn't jump, her eyes did focus on him evenly. "Captain Jack Harkness, if you don't get your hands off my arse right now, my knee will threaten your ability to have children." The hand immediately scaled back up to a more appropriate resting place.

"I regret nothing," the Captain said with a saucy grin, and she exasperatedly rolled her eyes.

"Of course you don't."

* * *

As the second dance started, Aliya spied Tegan over Jack's shoulder and abruptly noted how the Australian's eyes flicked between herself and the married couple with puzzlement. The Maid of Honour was then quick to realise that if Nyssa had told Tegan of her identity, then she owed an explanation to Tegan. After all, the last Tegan had known of it, Aliya and the Doctor had been...well, she wasn't going to overthink that part, but some answers were definitely owed.

The Time Lady excused herself from Jack and suggested that he steal Martha for a while instead. Then she made her way over to the only human companion that she thought she could safely consider a friend.

"Hey, Braveheart," The blonde greeted cheerfully, and Tegan smiled, albeit possibly reluctantly.

"So it really is you," The woman with short hair said, her tone friendly yet guarded. "Do you want to tell me what happened?"

"You might want to be more specific," Aliya replied while feeling that the conversation was about to get a little awkward.

"Why isn't that you with him?"

Aliya followed Tegan's gaze with her own eyes. It had settled onto the Doctor and River, who were dancing ecstatically in each other's arms, clearly teasing and flirting shamelessly already. The question brought up a lot of potential awkwardness and things that were very difficult to explain.

"You might have thought that I travelled with the Doctor forever and everything was fine and dandy, but that's not what happened at all," The Time Lady eventually answered with a hesitant tone. When Tegan raised an inquisitive eyebrow, she continued. "That day when all those people were slaughtered by the Daleks and Davros…it wasn't just you who couldn't go on seeing all that unnecessary death. Right after you left, I asked him to take me back to Gallifrey."

Tegan abruptly turned to look her, shock painted plainly across her features. "But you two…after everything, you just left?"

Bowing her head with the shame and guilt she still felt for the choice she had made centuries ago, Aliya sorted through her thoughts to find a more adequate way of explaining her actions. "I wasn't strong enough, Tegan," she whispered, "No matter what I felt, no matter how much I – I cared for him, I put myself first and got myself out of a situation I could no longer handle, knowingly hurting him."

"You're trying to tell me that all those feelings just disappeared?" The blatant disbelief in the Australian's voice was enough for the Gallifreyan to decide to continue looking at her hands for a little while longer.

"Not immediately. But centuries passed and Gallifrey burnt in a war, and he thought I was dead. He spent decades believing himself to be the last Time Lord alive and building a new life…and by the time he found me again, he and River were already…well…the Doctor and River Song," Aliya's gaze drifted back out to the couple to which she was referring, and a small, almost melancholy smile graced her lips.

"They do seem rather perfect for each other," Tegan admitted as she too found herself watching the dancing married couple. They had moved onto dancing like drunken idiots, even though neither of them had touched a drink yet.

Aliya chuckled and nodded in complete agreement. "Believe me, they are. Because it really doesn't bother me. You must think that it does or it should, but I was his best friend long before anything else, it's what I know best. And River makes him so happy."

"That's lucky," Tegan thoughtfully said, "It seems as though you're quite keen on the Best Man now, anyway."

"Oh, Jack?" Aliya began to laugh as her eyes flicked to where Jack was shamelessly flirting with Martha, pausing only to wink at her nearby husband who was watching them slightly warily. "He's…fun. I have no idea exactly what's going to happen there, but I know that he's clever, handsome, and immortal. Three very good things, at least in my book. Not to mention, he finds anything with a pulse attractive with means that he must find me attractive as I fit into that category."

"Anything with a pulse?"

"You really don't want to know," The blonde advised seriously. "Now, I do want to go and get a drink, but I did just want to say that I did miss you a lot after we both went our separate ways. You're the only companion of his I've ever really got close to, except for perhaps his most recent ones , but they left quite soon after I arrived, you see."

"I missed you too, you and Turlough and the Doctor…and Nyssa," Tegan said, "But like I said, I just couldn't go on…I suppose you understood that a lot better than I thought at the time."

"I understood it all too well," A nod came from the blonde before her entire demeanor changed and she beamed. "But this is supposed to be a happy day for the Doctor and River, so that's enough talking about sad things that have happened in the past, it's time to celebrate and I for one want a drink, how about you?"

"Thanks but no thanks," Was the answer she got, "I might say hello to the Brigadier instead."

"Alright then, I'll talk to you later," Aliya smiled before flitting off to the drinks table. Just as she had gotten there and prepared to pour herself some wine, Aliya heard someone stealthily sneak up behind her. The 51st century pheromones gave Jack away the moment she got a whiff of them, and she laughed.

"Hello, Jack."

"How did you know it was me?" He chuckled as he grabbed a drink, one identical to the one she had decided on.

"Your pheromones give you away. I have a sensitive nose, you know," Aliya took a long drink out of her glass as she regarded him with amused and slightly flirtatious eyes.

"Do you anything else that's sensitive too?" Jack threw her a highly suggestive wink. Her cheeks immediately flushed pink, but her bravado didn't lessen.

"Nothing that you need concern yourself with right this second, Harkness," She commented mildly. Hastily, she took another sip from her glass for something to do. Flirty as the regeneration was, she was still rather rusty at it.

Jack, however, just laughed instead of looking put off. "But you see, Ali, I happened to be very concerned at the moment..." He smirked as he plucked the glass from her hands and set it on a nearby table.

Aliya rolled her eyes as he pulled her back onto the dancefloor. "You're not concerned, you're just a bloody massive flirt!" When he started chuckling again she added, "And why are you calling me Ali?"

"Why not? It's your name, isn't it?" Jack spun her around and she was forced to concentrate on keeping her balance for a few moments.

"I suppose...I just prefer Aliya, that's all," She admitted thoughtfully.

Jack lifted an eyebrow. "I swear that I've heard the Doctor call you Ali, though."

The Time Lady shrugged, a strange look in her eye that Jack couldn't quite pinpoint. "But that's the Doctor. It's different because I've known him for so long, whereas this is only the second time that I've met you, Harkness. Not to mention, he made up both nicknames, which I think grants him the right to use whichever one he likes. He usually calls me Aliya anyway."

"He was the one to make them up?" The ex-Time Agent found the information intriguing, and Aliya nodded while shrugging again.

"He was the first truly close friend I ever had...and now he's the only truly close friend I have," Aliya sighed as she came to this realization, but then grinned. "The only linear one, anyway. I suppose I do have River."

"I reckon you'd have me too, if we got to know each other a bit better." Aliya had to nod and laugh at that.

"I reckon that you're right," She agreed, her eyes a bit flirtatious again, "I should just ditch the Doctor and come work for Torchwood. Then we could be friends."

"We could use an alien on the team, actually," Jack said as a new, slower song started. Mimicking all the other couples on the dance floor, he pulled her closer and slid his hand down to support her lower back. "The only knowledge of aliens we have is what I've seen and what's fallen to Earth. We could use some more experience and information."

"Well, the next time that the Doctor's being an arse, I guess that I know where I'll be going."

"Or if you're in the mood for a chat but the Doc and River are too busy having hot, nasty sex," Jack said casually, and Aliya's eyes widened in shock at the blatant statement.

"I suppose..." She muttered unsurely, "I doubt I would get that desperate for conversation within that kind of timeframe, though. You seem to be underestimating how unsociable most Time Lords can be if they like."

"Maybe you're underestimating how long they can have hot, nasty sex for."

"Shut up!" She snapped before pausing and looking extremely guilty. "Oh lords, sorry, Jack."

"Apology accepted-"

But the Time Lady felt the urge to explain her outburst and didn't let him continue. "Really, sorry, it's just..." A long, drawn-out sigh escaped her mouth and she leant her head down on his shoulder as they slowly moved in circles. "Talking about...that...in the way that you were...to us it's a very private and intimate thing. I don't like how so much of the lesser species make it so casual and public."

There wasn't time to register the song drawing to a close, because Jack had pulled away, slightly disgusted. "Lesser species, huh? It's one thing to think yourself superior to the rest of us, it's another thing to say it outloud." The offended and disappointed air of his tone took less than half of a second to make her feel guilty and stupid.

"I didn't mean to-" Her reply escaped into thin air as the marital couple approached them, not noticing the sudden tension between the other half of the wedding party.

"Aliya! Jack! Time for a switch, I think!" The Doctor beamed at them before yanking Aliya out of Jack's loose grip and twirling her away before she could say another word. But she couldn't help look back and feel marginally better after noting how Jack had immediately cheered the moment he had started dancing with River.

"Doctor, I think I insulted Jack by accident," Aliya blurted out after only half of a second.

"If by insulted, you mean you tried to stop him from...you know...groping," His expression got awkward and teenage-like the way it always did in such situations, "Then don't worry about it, the man's self-esteem is impenetrable."

She had to laugh at that, but immediately sobered. "No, it's…it's not that. I accidentally referred to humans as a lesser species and I think he got a bit insulted."

Surprisingly, the Doctor's expression was incredibly understanding. "It's hard, isn't it?" His eyes were soft as he regarded her, and she looked up at him before nodding slightly. "Fighting every instinct that tells us that we are so much better than they are."

"How do you do it?" Her voice was a whisper.

"Years of practice," He smiled and she sighed with disappointment.

"Hmph," Aliya mumbled, "Well that's not massively helpful. How can I try to explain or apologise?"

"Tell him the truth!" The Doctor said as he spun her around with one hand. "That our species was raised with a massive superiority complex and trying to ignore it is as hard as it is for him to not flirt with everything that moves." She couldn't help it. She burst out laughing at the accuracy of the comparison and soon he joined in. Once they were mostly recovered, she realized that Jack wasn't the only person she owed an apology.

"I'm sorry for what I said before. I should never have accused you of not trusting River," Aliya said quietly, ducking her head and pointedly watching their feet move in circles.

"I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have accused you of being…easy," The Doctor slowly hooked a finger under her chin so that she had to look at him, "I didn't mean it. I know that you wouldn't do something like that. Not after knowing him for such a short time."

"Let's just forgive everything and move on, okay?" The blonde woman asked with hope shining in her eyes. "I can't stand it when you're mad at me."

"Of course you're forgiven, Aliya!" He said as if it were a mad notion that she wouldn't be, and his hand drifted up to cup her cheek for a moment. "Always and completely forgiven."

The relief was so great that Aliya exhaled some sort of mildly hysterical laugh. "So are you, always!" And then she hugged him tightly because she couldn't see any other rational action at that time, she just wanted to relish the fact that she hadn't lost her best friend to a stupid fight. He chuckled and made a point of giving her a tight squeeze back.

"So you two have made up then? Didn't I tell you that it would all be fine, Aliya?" River and Jack had come along beside them and River was wearing her trademark knowing smirk.

"I promise to never doubt you again, River," Aliya swore seriously. But that just made River grin like the cat who got the cream. Then to reinforce her point, she snatched Aliya from the Doctor's arms and waltzed off with her, making her actually the metaphorical cat who actually got the metaphorical cream, which in her case was a bewildered Time Lady.

"So, how's life flirting with the handsome Captain?" River asked after a moment, and Aliya chuckled, turning ever so slightly pink.

"Well, you were just dancing with him, you tell me," She retorted. River laughed again and shot an appreciative glance over to the aforementioned ex-Time Agent, who was dancing with the Doctor by that point.

"Oh the flirting that man and I could do…" River's voice was wistful. "But it's my wedding day so I had to reign myself in a bit."

"A bit?"

"You can't expect me to behave _too _much, sweetie," The bride winked.

Aliya found herself frowning a little bit in confusion. "And why not?"

"Don't you consider yourself a realist?"

The Time Lady made a 'hmph' noise that was fast becoming one of her favourite ways to respond to such comments. "Perhaps I'm just not totally aware of how completely flirtatious you can be." River's eyes sparkled and her smirk became so devious that the woman opposite her became a little scared.

"Well, that's easily solved," She purred, and pulled Aliya closer as the two of them waltzed across the dance floor. "You know it's almost a pity…the two of us would have been a formidable couple…"

Aliya laughed nervously. She'd never been so openly hit on by another female before and River had a different approach than most. "Well, you know the Doctor, always messing up our lives."

"If he dies an untimely death, would you and Jack let me join you?" River's highly suggestive question made Aliya turn beetroot-red and a surprised squeak escaped her mouth, much to River's amusement.

"River!" She said with obvious embarrassment, and when the other woman didn't stop laughing, got slightly defensive in addition. "River? River, stop laughing at me!"

"Oh sweetie, you're more innocent than the Doctor sometimes…" River's twinkling eyes watched her with obvious fondness. "I take it threesomes weren't so much a thing on Gallifrey?"

"No," Aliya mumbled, wide-eyed like a startled deer in headlights, clearly mortified by the thought. "I mean, I know of them, obviously, but I-"

"Breathe, sweetie, I was teasing you," River whispered in her ear, smugness radiating from every one of her pores. Then the bride whipped her head around to spot the Doctor and Jack watching them curiously. Aliya soon followed her gaze and shot her dancing partner a slightly wary look as the other woman lowered her mouth to near her ear again. "Do you want to give them a proper reason to stare?"

"Um, River, what do you-" Aliya didn't have a chance to stop stammering and talk coherently before River grabbed her by the chin and kissed her. The Time Lady's arms flailed for half a second before her hands rested on River's lifted arms, her eyes meanwhile drifting shut despite herself until she came to her senses a few moments later.

If River had thought that Aliya had resembled a deer in the path of car headlights at the mention of a threesome, then she resembled a shocked fawn by the time River released her. However, the venture had been successful, as when they both looked over at the males, Jack was chuckling appreciatively and the Doctor's jaw looked as though it was going to plummet through the ground until it hit the core of the planet.

When the Time Lord male finally got himself forming words again, he started getting a little cross. "River! Stop kissing my best friend! It's weird and I don't like it!"

"Jealous, sweetie?" River just pulled Aliya in further as the two of them danced over to where Jack and the Doctor were standing, no longer dancing together.

"No, of course _not!" _The groom responded quickly before pausing under River's disbelieving eyebrow and reconsidering. "Well, yes, I suppose…" Then he pouted like the five year old he really was. "You're supposed to be kissing me."

River laughed fondly and immediately left Aliya behind to kiss the Doctor slowly and deeply. "Alright sweetie, you can have me back now. Which means: Captain, you can have Aliya back." Jack mock-saluted at the bride before sweeping Aliya off, immediately holding her flush against him.

"Don't I get any say in my dancing partners today?" Aliya moaned crossly, ignoring the part of her brain that was rather enjoying being so close to the captain. "And why am I being molested by everyone? First you, then River! _River! _Who in the name of time itself kisses people just to get amusement out of someone else's reaction?"

"Practically anyone in the 51st century," Jack replied, and she sighed exasperatedly.

"I give up with you people. You are now the only person here that is allowed to kiss me, and only because I can't be bothered stopping you, it's too much effort," Aliya couldn't help but join in when Jack laughed at that last bit of information. "I think I need another drink. I've only had half of one, because you dragged me off before I could finish it!"

"I've got just the thing," He told her as he produced two small bottles from his pocket and offered her one.

Her fingers closed around it with slight hesitance, and her eyes flicked up to narrow at him. "Do I want to know what this is?" When Jack shook his head, she couldn't help but mirror his grin (albeit with more nervousness). So with that done, she pulled the stopper out and gulped down half of the contents.

Spluttering and coughing up a storm, Aliya almost dropped the bottle as the strong effects of the alcohol hit her instantly, and without mercy. About to protest against consuming anymore and ask what in the name of every supposed hell it was, her gaze happened to fall on the married couple. They were happily slow dancing. Slow dancing and leaning on each other but watching each other with love so unconditional and deep that it could be seen from across the patio. Suddenly, drinking the rest of the bottle seemed like a much more attractive idea than it had been one second before, and she emptied it without another moment's thought.

"Whoa, careful!" Jack chuckled as he made sure she hadn't already lost her balance. "You might want to take it easy to start off with."

"Shut up," She murmured, mostly because he was right and she already felt sick in her stomach, but she smiled brightly at him after a few moments, "I'm fine now, it just took me a few seconds. You know, I think whatever that was just dimmed the part of my brain that finds you temporally repulsive."

"Meaning that I became even more attractive?"

Aliya laughed, nodding, and Jack looked incredibly amused and pleased by the information. She tucked the bottle back into his coat and her hands lingered on his chest before travelling up to his face. "I think I'm going to kiss you now," She whispered with a broad smile before planting a feather-light peck on his lips. He grinned and spun her around with renewed vigor despite the supposed slow theme of the music currently playing around them.

"The Doctor told me why you said what you did…so you're forgiven for that," Jack told her, and her face lit up upon hearing the news.

"That was nice of him…I _am _sorry for saying that, I do hate that I think like that, but it's hard to fight against something bred so deeply into you…"

"The Doctor said fighting it is as hard as it would be for me to stop flirting with everyone I meet."

"Yes, the two of us had come up with that analogy together, it's fairly accurate."

"Then you're definitely forgiven as long as you don't try to _act _too superior."

"I'll try not to."

* * *

Eventually, after a lot more dancing, they had sidled over to where Sarah Jane was chatting amiably with the Brigadier and Jo Grant.

"Hello again," Sarah Jane said with a welcoming grin as she gave them both large hugs, "Having fun?"

"Lots," Aliya nodded happily, and elbowed Jack in the ribs when she got the feeling he was going to say something inappropriate. "Yourselves?"

"Most interesting wedding I've ever been to," The Brigadier said before holding a hand out for her to shake, "Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, and you are?"

"Aliya, the latest one," She was pleased when that got an understanding chuckle from the man, "But do let me call you Brigadier, the Doctor never calls you anything else and as a result, Alistair would feel strange."

"Brigadier suits me just fine," The old soldier said with a twinkle in his eye, "Makes me sound somewhat young again."

"Well, you're not the oldest here so I wouldn't worry too much about that," Jack said with a grin, "Captain Jack Harkness, and might I say that it's an honour, I've heard so much about you, sir."

"Harkness?" The Brigadier ran an appraising eye over the other man. "Good lord, you're not that Torchwood chap, are you?"

"The one and only," Jack laughed, "And I can assure you that I'm the oldest one here."

"Are you saying that it's true what they say about you?" Alarm and suspicion filled the Brigadier's face and it only grew when the other man nodded. "Good heavens."

"What? What do they say about him?" Jo Grant asked eagerly, not looking the least worried about being confused, as long as someone were to explain soon.

"Had a little incident a while back," Jack shrugged it off with his trademark charming grin, "And now I can't die."

"Or rather, he can, but then he comes back, from what I've heard," Aliya put in.

"But anyway," Jack immediately set his sights on Jo and put on his best smile, "Captain Jack Harkness, and you are?"

"Stop it!"

Both Aliya and Jack whipped around to see the Doctor and River disappearing off into the dance floor as quickly as they had arrived. Aliya couldn't fight it; she burst into a fit of laughter.

"Oh, I'd seen it before in his memories but dear lord, I've been waiting for that to happen right in front of me!" She spluttered, covering her mouth as she giggled. "He can still get you!"

Jo turned to her friends. "What was that about?"

"Jack here likes to flirt with everyone he meets," Sarah Jane said with a small smile of amusement, "And I'm getting the gist that the Doctor tells him off for it."

"Yes, that's about right," Aliya said before something occurred to her and she turned to Jack. "And what do you mean, you're the oldest? I'm older than you!"

"Jack, immortal and practically non-aging…oldest!" He challenged, and her eyes shone with her acceptance of it.

"Aliyanadevoralundar, Time Lady, one thousand and ten years old!"

"_Two_ thousand and forty years old!"

Aliya's eyes widened in surprise. "Seriously?"

"Got buried in a hole in 108 A.D. and had to wait 1900 years to get out…bad day," Jack retorted, and she just huffed before crossing her arms, annoyed at having lost the age advantage.

"Fine, you win, whatever," She muttered, and turned to Sarah Jane to change the subject. "So where's Rani and Clyde?" The human woman nodded to the dance floor, and Aliya found herself smiling when she saw Rani and Clyde dancing, both grinning at each other and seeming to be having a great time. "And what about you? How have you been?"

Sarah Jane shrugged almost shyly. "Oh, fine…fighting aliens from an attic, nothing new."

"Same here, but from a blue box," The blonde joked, and they shared a smile.

"So you're the one travelling with him now, are you?" Jo inquired with a warm smile, slight envy in her eyes. "I hope you're one of the nice Time Lords, he never gave me the idea that he likes them all that much."

Aliya laughed because the statement was accurate but also because the tense she had used reminded her that Jo knew nothing of the Time War or the demise of the Time Lords, and she couldn't risk letting anything show in her face that would make Jo suspicious. "I'm definitely a nice one. And he likes me just fine when we're not fighting."

"Were you two fighting earlier, before the ceremony? I thought that I could hear something," Sarah Jane inquired, and when Aliya visibly froze she had her answer. "Everything's alright, I hope?"

"We're fine now, but yes, we were fighting earlier," The Time Lady looked at the ground embarrassedly.

"It sounded…rather brutal, if you don't mind my saying."

Aliya bit her lip. "Yes, well…we never do anything halfway. We don't argue, we fight. And yell and scream. Hardly healthy, but it can't be helped."

"Well, remember my offer, in case there's a fight where you don't forgive each other right away," Sarah Jane said pointedly, and Aliya found herself smiling once again at the selfless kindness of the humans that the Doctor befriended.

"I will," She softly said, touched.

* * *

After also conversing with Amy and Rory for a bit, Aliya took a seat next to Wilf, who had been sitting on his own for a while. He didn't seem to mind it though, he was humming along to the music and contently watching the dancing guests.

"Hello, Wilfred," She said, flashing him a smile.

"Oh, hello, it's you again," He smiled back, "What was your name?"

"Aliya."

"Right, yeah, that was it. That was some fancy alien speak you did during that ceremony," The old man complimented as he looked at her, "He teach you how to talk his language, or just those words?"

"No, not exactly," Aliya found herself smiling a bit at his assumption. "Gallifreyan is my first language, Wilfred."

Wilfred frowned as he considered that. "But…does that mean you're…one of them? One of his people?" When she nodded, he made an impressed whistle and clapped his hands together excitedly before halting as if he'd remembered something. "But hold on, he said that all you lot were corrupted and turned evil or something like that…you don't seem to fit that description."

The Time Lady shook her head while smiling to herself. "I'd like to think that I don't…no, I wasn't there to be corrupted. I was actually his best friend for centuries, and while we were at school together. I don't suppose he ever mentioned me?"

"Not that I know of," The old man said, "It was Donna that spent all that time with him, not me."

"I met her," Aliya breathed without thinking, and his head turned to look at her sharply.

"You what? How?"

"The Doctor messed up the timelines…I ended up on a planet made out of diamonds and I ran into her…and believe me when I say that I can see why the Doctor holds her in such a high regard. You should be proud of her, Wilf," Aliya smiled sincerely at the grandfather and he nodded with pride shining in his eyes.

"I am, don't you worry about that," He said, "What does he say about her? The Doctor?"

"Not much…" Aliya's gaze shifted to her hands. "He doesn't like talking about people from his past because he misses them all too much…he especially doesn't like to talk about the ones that he feels that he hurt. But he said that she was incredible and that she saved him…and that she was his best friend. I think a tiny part of me was a bit jealous…until I met her, anyway." She let out another smile as she recalled her meeting only days before with the red headed woman. "But somehow once I did it was just impossible because of how wonderful she was…she was perfect for him, I saw that within ten minutes."

"That's my Donna," Wilf said.

"My Donna too," Came a voice from behind them, and the Doctor sat down next to them, River at his side.

"Will I ever get to meet this elusive Donna?" River inquired. The Doctor merely smirked.

"Spoilers."

River's eyes lit up with excitement and she clapped her hands gleefully. "Ooh, how exciting!"

"I didn't say yes!" He spluttered, and she shushed him with a single finger.

"Oh, as good as."

* * *

Naturally, every past acquaintance of the Doctor wanted to get their chance to meet the one woman who had managed the impossible and married the universe's favourite Time Lord.

"I'm Sarah Jane Smith-"

"Oh, of course! You're in quite a few of the pictures in my diary…you've been with quite a few different versions of him, haven't you?"

Sarah Jane's eyebrows went up as she processed several of the words the bride had said. "Pictures? Of me? In your diary?"

"Well obviously it's not just you, I have pictures of all his faces and most of the people who travelled with him," River laughed at the slight confusion on the old companion's face, and the Doctor, whose arm was around River's waist, was quick to explain.

"Our timelines make it hard to know where we are in relation to the other…we both have diaries to make it easier," He said.

"Oh, I see," Sarah Jane smiled and shrugged in her unique and almost shy way, "I suppose sometimes it must be even harder to live than it is to explain."

"Sometimes, yeah, but honestly, we both love it," The Doctor and River shared cheeky grins, "Just lots of spoilers."

"But it's my favourite word so I'm not complaining," The grey-green eyes of the bride danced with amusement, smugness, and foreknowledge.

A strange yet welcoming smile spread across Sarah Jane's face. "You know, it's funny, whenever I tried to imagine a person the Doctor might actually settle down with, they weren't like you very much at all, but now that you're here and real, you're perfect for him, really."

"I do try not to fit into expectations," River said with a smirk as she took a sip of champagne from the Doctor's glass, "It's much more interesting that way."

"It's definitely one way of looking at things," Sarah Jane agreed and two women clinked glasses as the Doctor eyed the stolen one which was rightfully his.

"I don't know what you're getting all iffy about, sweetie, you hate wine anyway," River scolded, as if she were reprimanding a five year old, and rolled her eyes. "Besides, what's yours is mine."

At that point, Amy and Rory chose to come over, and the Doctor's grin immediately doubled in size upon seeing the two humans, though his eyes were quick to settle on Amy's swollen belly.

"Glorious Pond! With a mini Pond on the way, I see!" He wrapped them both in a large yet slightly awkward three-way hug. "And Rory, always loved Rory! Ponds, this is my Sarah Jane, and of course you know River already."

"Sorry, _your _Sarah Jane?" Amy repeated for clarification, making the Doctor pause and realize what he had said.

"Right, no, not mine exactly, she's just…there's no other way to explain it, is there, Sarah?" He offered Sarah Jane a sheepish smile and a small blush rose in the older woman's cheeks at the subtle indication of how much he still considered her to be one of the most important people in his life. "She travelled with me a long time ago and now she fights aliens from her attic." He grinned proudly and the married couple regarded the old companion with just the right amount of curiosity and respect.

Quick to smile and change the subject to something that wasn't herself, Sarah Jane gestured to Amy's stomach. "So what are you going to call him…or her?" At that question, River smiled into the glass of champagne as if she already knew the answer.

"We were thinking Vincent if it's a boy…and Isabella if it's a girl," Amy rubbed her middle with a content smile and leaned into Rory's side. "For that girl from Venice, you know?"

"And it turns out that my wife has a soft spot for Vincent Van Gogh ever since you two met him and he tried to get her to marry him," Rory added mildly, and Sarah Jane's eyebrows shot up as she eyed the red-head with newfound amusement.

"My money's on Vincent," River put in, and when the other four people came to look at her, she grinned with the usual mischievous glint in her eye. "You know, considering how Aliya's been more honest about her background, perhaps I should be more honest about mine."

"You were recruited from a very young age to an illegal assassin academy and were sent to kill me, what else is there to know?" The Doctor inquired, almost boredly, meanwhile ignoring the reactions that Amy, Rory and Sarah Jane had to his words.

"They changed my name when I entered that academy…my birth name is Melody Pond," River said conversationally, and watched all of their eyes bug out in unparalleled shock. The Doctor recovered first.

"No. No, no, no, I won't believe it!" He jabbed his finger accusingly in River's general direction. "You are from the 51st century, even if you were descended from them, I find it very hard to believe that you would retain the same last name!"

River examined her nails disinterestedly. "Really sweetie, you're thinking far too simplistically. Without giving too much away, one of their descendants gets caught in a time storm and comes out in the late 50th century. I'm only three or four generations away from these two, you know."

"Sorry, did you say _time _storm-" Rory's worried question was cut off by Amy's eventual response.

"So, does that mean you're our great, great granddaughter or something?"

"Yes, Amy," River replied patiently, and then smirked, "Or should I be calling you Nana or some variation thereof?"

"Nope, Amy's just fine," The pregnant woman was quick to answer. "I've known you too long, you can't start calling me Nana or Gran, that would be too weird."

"Time storm, nope, don't believe it," The Doctor interrupted stubbornly, "I've never heard such rubbish."

"Don't be ridiculous, one of your own companions was in a time storm and ended up on Iceworld of all places!" River argued.

The Doctor shook his head, determined to have the last word, "That's completely different, 1986, horrible year, so horrible that time storms were almost to be _expected_, but not the 21st century, not Amy and Rory's children or grandchildren!"

"No plural, my love, only one of their descendants is caught in it," River corrected him with obvious disinterest for the pointless disagreement.

"Spoilers! No more spoilers!" The Doctor clamped his hands over Amy's ears, shooting a glare at his wife, who merely smirked and promptly ceased talking.

"Doctor, you realize that this is pointless because Rory could still hear anything she said?"

"Oh, shut up, Pond."

* * *

"Dear lord, man, you've turned into a baby this time!" The Brigadier criticized when the Doctor finally approached him, pulling River along with him.

"That's exactly what I said," Jo agreed with a nod, "He used to be the one with white hair, and now it's me!"

"But it's very pretty white hair, Jo, though mine was prettier," the Doctor's cheeky reply made her reluctantly grin at his unchanged arrogance.

"So you've married him," After running his eyes over River, the Brigadier frowned a little, "Can't say I envy you, he can't be very pleasant to live with."

"He's not as bad as you'd think, actually," River laughed, "I don't live with him full time anyway, it's more like lots of shorter visits…timelines and all that." The Doctor looked mildly disgruntled at the fact that his friends never seemed to stop insulting him, and his wife didn't bother to try and comfort him, as she wasn't often the reassuring type.

"I never even thought that he might get married…too independent at the time, I suppose," Jo speculated, and the Doctor nodded slowly.

"Not _that _independent, though," He said quietly, "I always needed someone...and for a few years you were the only one I wanted with me, Jo."

A small, melancholy smile appeared on Jo's face as the two of them remembered just how close they had been all those years ago. She then blushed a bit and waved him off with her hand dismissively. "Oh, I bet you say that to all your girls."

He paused, thinking about it, before shrugging embarrassedly. "Well, yes, I suppose I do, in a way."

Jo laughed. "See, I knew it!"

"But only because you're all special to me in your own ways, not because none of you are," He was quick to add, and although she did a good job of hiding it, it was still plain to see that she was pleased by the statement.

"And me, Doctor? Because I am _not _'one of your girls'," The Brigadier shot the Doctor a pointed look, and the Time Lord just laughed at the human man's expression.

"No, you're the one man who was always content with one planet and gave everything to protect it…I respect you more than anyone in the universe, Brigadier, I hope you realize that," The Doctor said with more seriousness as he stared back at his oldest human friend.

The Brigadier, who was never really one for sentimentally or taking compliments merely shifted his gaze to the ground for a moment before bringing it back up. "Well, thank you, Doctor, the same could be said of you from me."

The Doctor grinned in the same way a child did when it was given a present, and he looked at River, checking that she was as excited as he was about the words of praise, while she just rolled her eyes with fondness.

"It's good to meet you, Brigadier," River said, changing the subject some, "You're noted as being around in so many of the Doctor's misadventures, the history books still remember you, both as his friend and as a hero of the Earth in your own right, of course."

"Well," The Brigadier appeared unsure of what to think about that piece of news, "I'm not looking for any admiration."

"It's too bad, because you get plenty," River smiled, and reluctantly, the old man smiled back at her.

* * *

"Clyde! Rani!"

Aliya's excited shout from across the dancefloor made the two adolescents look over to where the Time Lady and immortal human were making their way over to them.

"Hey, what was your name again? I know you're that alien chick back from that spaceship business, but-"

"Clyde!" Rani whacked him on the shoulder before turning back to the two adults. "Sorry for the idiot. Aliya, right?"

While the Time Lady nodded, Jack held his hand out to Clyde and then Rani for them to shake. "Captain Jack Harkness, and who are you two?"

"I'm Rani and this is Clyde," Rani said with open friendliness, "We help out Sarah Jane with all the aliens and stuff."

"And that better not have been your flirting voice, Jack, they're too young for you, but I can't tell the different between your normal hellos and your flirting ones, possibly because I've never been on the receiving end of the former," Aliya shot Jack a pointed look which only made him grin wider.

"I don't flirt with minors, Alibear-"

"I should think not-"

"Just you."

"And a bigger lie was never told. Hang on...Alibear?!"

Jack eyed her with condescending amusement and his usual flirtatious air, only for her to scowl back at him with her arms crossed over her chest. "What, so the Doc is allowed to give you nicknames and I'm not?"

Inwardly flinching as she thought of how the Master had once asked her a very similar question, Aliya rolled her eyes. "It's not that, it's the nickname you chose!"

"It's cute!" He grinned at her in his infuriating way, and when Aliya shot a pleading look at the two teenagers present, they merely smirked at her. "Don't you two think it's cute?"

"Yep. Totally cute," Clyde looked far too pleased with himself, and Rani smiled with faux innocence.

"Because she's just so adorable!" Rani's comment made the Time Lady's scowl grow ever deeper, despite the fact that she did realise they were all just messing with her.

"See, Alibear? Cute," Jack patted her bum fondly and she jumped a mile into the air before taking a large sidestep away from him.

"I was going to say mildly insulting, myself," She retorted crossly, eyeing him with new wariness. "You know what? Nevermind, I don't care, change of subject. Rani, Clyde, how's life on Bannerman Road?"

The two teenagers didn't bother to hide their snickering as Rani answered. "It's been good. Surprisingly quiet, recently, but I guess aliens have days off too."

"It won't last," Jack assured them all, "I know that from experience."

"Right, you fight aliens too," recalled Clyde, "I'd forgotten about that. Only you use guns and all of that."

"I guess we do. But you're kids, people are less likely to want to hurt you, when you're older, some people kill just to get you out of the way," The ex-Time Agent told them, and both teenagers exchanged a worried glance.

"But," Aliya cut in, "Don't ever think that violence is the only way. There is always a choice and almost always an alternative. Sarah Jane's methods are much better than Torchwood's."

"By the Doctor's standards, maybe," Jack scoffed a little and she shot him a disapproving glare.

"There is no standard, Jack, morality isn't subjective to opinion! Violence is only ever okay unless it is the absolutely only way to prevent more from occurring," She said evenly, her voice cool with the subtle judgment and reprimand of her words.

"Let's agree to disagree," Jack offered, and reluctantly, she nodded before turning back to Rani and Clyde.

"Well, since I seem to be planning on visiting Jack at Torchwood sometime in the future, I might just have to take a trip up to England to visit you lot as well," The Time Lady beamed at them, and they looked excited at the prospect.

"As long as you tell us all about any adventures you've been having," Rani conditioned.

"Only if you tell me about yours!"

* * *

As they took turns taking small sips from another one of Jack's small bottled drinks, Aliya finally decided to ask what the dreadful concoction they were drinking actually was.

"Oh, I thought you would have figured it out by now, Alibear," Jack replied once she asked, "It's hypervodka."

The Time Lady immediately started choking on the small mouthful she had just swallowed and after spending thirty seconds navigating the alcohol away from her windpipe, glared at the man who had given it to her in the first place.

"Hypervodka?!" She finally spluttered. "But that means I've had one and a half of those! No wonder I feel like I've been drinking all evening! Why would you bring those to a wedding and let me drink them?"

"Why not?"

"Because I don't know what kind of alcohol tolerance this regeneration has, and I'm starting to think it's a very low one!"

Jack merely grinned in a way that made her more angry than before as he pulled a third bottle out and offered it to her. "I can guarantee that if you have this bottle you will know but no longer care."

After deliberating for several seconds, Aliya snatched the bottle and, unwisely, downed it in one gulp. It took a few seconds for the effects to hit her, but then she was clutching her head and sinking into the nearest chair.

"Bad Aliya, stupid Aliya," She muttered, "Bad hypervodka…"

"Okay, maybe that wasn't my best idea," Jack admitted despite not looking sorry about it, "Maybe just take it easy for a while?"

Shaking her head deliberately, the blonde forced herself to stand and grab onto her companion's coat. "Nope, dancing will clear my head."

* * *

After twenty minutes of very rowdy dancing, Jack had released Aliya to find some food to soak up some of the alcohol in her system, which by that point had affected her more than either of them would have liked. She had been right, her newest regeneration had very little resistance to alcohol.

"Jack!" The Doctor greeted the other man cheerfully as he approached him. For possibly the first time throughout the entire night, River was not by his side. "Where's Aliya?"

"I sent her to get herself some food before she-" The man in the World War II coat trailed off uncertainly as he spied the Maid of Honour and realized that while technically she was eating food, stealing strawberries out of the champagne glasses wasn't what he had had in mind. "Um, maybe I should go check on her, actually."

"Jack, is she drunk?" The groom eyed his best friend from across the patio, suddenly suspicious.

"Little bit, nothing to worry about," Jack promised before hurrying off.

"Hello handsome man," Aliya laughed as he came near, and popped another strawberry into her open mouth, "Want a strawberry?"

"Nope, but I'll take the champagne," Jack said with a small smile as he took the glass from her hand, "Since you're done with the strawberry."

"Is the champagne actually any good?" Her curiosity suddenly piqued as she eyed the glasses with new interest, "Because the strawberries are very nice."

"Yes, but they're soaked with champagne, they're not exactly going to sober you up," Jack reminded her, and she waved him off as she picked up one of the champagne glasses she had already stolen a strawberry from.

"Shush, I don't need sobering up, Jack, I'm _fine_," insisted Aliya, who then took a large sip of champagne, considered it, and put it back down, only to pick it back up seconds later and finish off the glass. "You know, those aren't too bad."

Jack plucked the glass from her unsteady fingers and put it back on the table where she couldn't drop it. "Again, Alibear, not helping."

She giggled. "Did you know I think I'm starting to like that nickname?"

"You know what? A walk in the gardens, that's a much better idea," He considered thoughtfully, and wound an arm around her waist before walking her out of the patio and into the gorgeous botanical gardens of the church.

"Oh, yep, definitely a much better idea," she mused as her head turned in all directions to stare at the various beautiful plants, "They're all so pretty! It's a shame that I was always rubbish at botany, ever if I was sober I probably only would have been able to name one or two of these."

"Okay, so what are you good at? And for that matter, what's the Doctor good at? What did you guys study?" Jack asked as he directed her to a nearby bench, where they both sat down.

She hiccupped before replying, "Well, the Doctor was always interested in languages, and took an advanced course, he literally knows every language to ever exist, anywhere. I myself never saw the point, what with all the translation circuits built into the capsules."

"Capsules?"

"Sorry, TARDISes," She laughed, "But I have faith in my ability to repair the translation circuits of any given capsule, so I only took the basic language course, which was compulsory, which involved learning the dominant language of each planet in its most productive era. Which for Earth, is English. I am actually speaking English right now, I'm not being translated by the TARDIS. The capsules don't translate Gallifreyan anyway."

"So what else did the Doctor do?"

"He studied cultures a lot, and a bit of everything, really."

Jack looked at her curiously. "And what about you?"

"I gave up most of my other subjects to study Advanced TT Capsule Engineering and Mechanics…it's the only thing I'm properly good at," Aliya shrugged, "I could fix that Chameleon Circuit in half an hour, but he wouldn't let me even if I wanted to, which I don't, I mean, come on, the police box is just what his TARDIS is, changing that would be totally wrong!" Her gaze settled on his face and became rather absent.

"Ali? Are you okay?" He worriedly asked, and she grinned slowly.

"Totally fine," She murmured, before kissing him, only to be disgruntled when he gently pushed her away. "What? Don't you want to kiss me?"

"It's not that, Alibear," He laughed, "But you're drunk and I don't you doing something you're going to regret. The Doctor would kill me if I did."

Aliya rolled her eyes melodramatically. "I'm not suggesting that we have sex right here on this bench or anything of the sort, Jack! I am just a slightly drunk woman at a wedding who wants to kiss a handsome man who is making her laugh. So please stop worrying about me."

"Alright then, Ali, but it's on your conscience," He replied before kissing her deeply. She laughed with drunken triumph against his lips and wound her arms around his neck to pull him closer. They both lost track of time for a while before a surprised voice brought them back to the present.

"Oh, um, sorry-"

The two adults broke apart and turned to see Rani and Clyde looking quite embarrassed by the scene they had walked onto. Belatedly, Aliya realized an important detail.

"Jack, your hand's up my dress!"

"Oh, oops, I don't even remember doing that-" The hand was gone within a second and Aliya was standing up from the bench, cheeks pink.

"Sorry, you two, we didn't realize you were, er…" Aliya, in her stunted intelligence, failed to come up with something appropriate to say and just settled for, "Please don't tell Sarah Jane that I let you see that. Or the Doctor."

Rani laughed. "It's alright, you know, we have actually been to parties, we're not innocent little kids."

"But you won't tell?"

"Of course not, why would we?" Clyde smiled, and Aliya beamed before kissing both of them on the corners of their mouths.

"You're both totally brilliant, did you know that?" She said happily, and turned to Jack. "Come on, Captain," She said 'Captain' as if it an exciting or kinky word, "I want more champagne. Or hypervodka. Or both."

"Like that's going to happen," Jack called after her before shooting a grateful look at the two teenagers.

"You'll have to catch me, then!" The Time Lady called back.

The Torchwood agent gave Rani and Clyde an apologetic grin. "Sorry, if I don't keep her out of trouble the Doctor will have my neck." With that, he ran off.

As they watched him go, they began to laugh, especially Clyde.

"I'm sure the Doctor would be really pleased to know that Jack is looking after her so well…" He said.

"Yeah, if by look after you mean snogging her while his hand was up her dress, then he's doing brilliantly," Rani answered, and they met eyes before bursting into fits of laughter.

* * *

Jack had managed to quiet Aliya down with a glass of water, and for the moment she was sitting on his lap quite peaceably as he struck up a conversation with Wilfred Mott about what exactly had transpired the day that the Earth was moved across space. Both Wilfred and Aliya were listening intently, but the moment the story came to a close, the latter had begun staring off into space again with a new devious glint in her eye.

"Jack, you know, I think maybe I should just kiss everyone at this wedding…"

Jack and Wilfred laughed for a moment before realizing that she was serious. The ex-Time Agent tightened his grip on her waist as a precautionary measure.

"Okay…why?"

"Well, I've already kissed you, River, Rani, and Clyde…it just sort of seems like a good idea…" Aliya murmured thoughtfully.

"I'm going to have to disagree with you there, Ali, but I'm sure Wilfred might let you kiss him on the cheek if you ask nicely," Jack said pointedly, and Aliya turned her hopeful gaze onto Wilf.

"Oh, alright then," The old man chuckled, and Aliya dipped her head to plant a kiss on his withered cheek, and pulled away, looking pleased and giggling her head off.

"Here, Ali, give this a try," Jack passed her yet another bottle from within his coat, this one slightly different to the others, but she downed it without a moment's thought.

"Ooh, that one's a bit weird, Jack, it kind of…" Her voice trailed off into gibberish before she drifted off to sleep on his shoulder.

At Wilfred's inquiring look, Jack just said, "It's for her own safety…she won't be out for long, maybe an hour."

* * *

"Alright everyone, back in the TARDIS, let's get you all back home!"

At the Doctor's shout, all the guests, still amiably chatting with each other, entered the TARDIS ready to go home after an incredibly eventful evening. Jack however, remained seated next to where Aliya was curled up across several seats, still fast asleep.

"You just get everyone home, Doctor, and then go on your honeymoon. Then when you come back you can put this one into bed," Jack chuckled, and the Doctor took one look at his best friend before nodding his agreement.

"Well, alright then," He straightened his bowtie with a wide smile, "I'll see you in a couple of weeks, Jack."

Jack saluted jokingly and the Doctor laughed as he shut the TARDIS doors, the ship dematerializing with its signature wheezing sound moments later.

* * *

**So...yeah...not quite sure what to make of that, but hopefully you liked it! It is the holidays for two weeks for me now, so hopefully I will be able to get another chapter out very soon! I also finally have ideas for new chapters of Past of the Angel and Precipitant Reunion, so watch out for the oncoming Thaliya fluff, and AU Nine/Aliya/Jack hilarity! :)**

**Let me know what you thought in a review, please, my lovelies. :D **

**-MayFairy :) **

Anonymous Review Replies:

_watch the stars - _thanks so much for reviewing just for me! you made me feel so special. :D I am so glad that love my stories so much. Quite a few people do write about other Time Ladies surviving the war, it's not uncommon, but I will admit that a LOT of them are Mary Sues. I can't wait for Aliya and the Doctor to get together either, but unfortunately that is still a long way off. I am totally full of Doctor/River feels right now anyway so it's not bothering me so much. XD Again, thanks so so so much, I hope to hear from you again really soon!

_Guest - _aww, thanks! I LOVE writing all the Jaliya bits so much because they are so funny yet so mischievous. Hope you enjoy all the Jaliya in this chapter! :)


	42. Honeymoons and Drunk Seduction Attempts

**Wow, only 10 days! That's got to be some kind of record, right? I love the holidays... *sighs happily* except I've only got a few days left before school and end of year exams revision and shizz... :(**

**So, thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter: fanfreak4ever, loulouflowerpower, goblindreamer, Guest, OptimisticLivvy, Caligo, toavoidconversation, Starlight Dreams, Mrs. 11th, AliasMarie, and Marmelatta! **

**About the chapter: River and Eleven go on a cutesy honeymoon and talk about some important things...and Aliya and Jack get up to troubling before Aliya goes and gets herself in...well, more trouble. You'll see. XD **

**So, enjoy! **

* * *

Once all the guests were back where they belonged, the TARDIS landed on the front porch of a huge mansion and estate in the middle of a valley of beautiful hills lain with pale pink grass.

"What planet is this?" River inquired, noting the very dark purple sky and the numerous moons that lit it in the middle of the still night they had arrived in.

"Kandalath," The Doctor answered as he carried a bag for them out of the blue box, "We're in the middle of Kalman Valley, one of the few places that isn't completely covered in water. Thought you would appreciate a place that was less…soggy."

She grinned at him, more radiant than he had ever seen her in her wedding dress, bathed in the light of twelve moons. "It's perfect, sweetie."

It took him a few seconds to place the luggage inside before he came back out and scooped her up into his arms, carrying her across the threshold as she laughed. River placed a kiss at his temple before getting him to put her down, and kicked off her scarlet shoes. Then she ran up the stairs, only to reprimand him and tell him to bring up their bag.

When he finally found the master bedroom, he entered it to see River standing at the full length window, staring out at the iridescent sight. The wedding dress and veil were lying on the floor; she was wearing only her undergarments. She noticed him when he took off his shoes and socks, but didn't turn around.

"Hello sweetie."

"Hello wife." At that she laughed, glancing at him over her shoulder with fondness gleaming in her eyes. Slowly, he approached her from behind and dropped a kiss onto her shoulder, then took her by the hand and pulled her back towards the large bed dominating the main space of the room.

"So you married a human," River said as he sat on the edge of the bed, his green eyes taking her in, "Does it feel strange?"

His hand slowly massaged the skin at her right hip, but his gaze didn't leave her face. "A little. But you're a lot more than just another human, River."

She smiled, and her fingers brushed back some of the hair from his face as she realised that his brow was furrowed, that he was thinking about something intently. "Sweetie, what's wrong?"

"I was just thinking…about children," He admitted, his left hand tracing across her abdomen absently, "…and the fact that we can't have them."

River's expression dropped a little. "No, I didn't think we could…we're too different biologically."

He pursed his lips inward the way he did when he was upset, and his eyes burned with melancholy affection. "You would have been a very good mother."

Her shaky laugh didn't assure him of much. "Perhaps…but with our timelines, it wouldn't have worked."

"I suppose you're right," The Doctor conceded, but pressed a kiss into the skin of her flat stomach regardless, as if that would make a child appear. "But if-"

River kissed him then, silencing him with her lips because she didn't want him to linger on the saddening thoughts of what could never be. Instead, she wanted him to see the beauty and opportunity of what could happen in the very moment they were in now. "Hush, sweetie."

Large yet endlessly gentle hands grasped her hips then in answer to her kiss, and spun them so that she was falling back across the soft bedspread and he was falling with her. "Have I ever told you how remarkable you are, River Song?" She grinned at him as she quickly rid him off his shirt and bowtie and flung them across the room. Her hair was splayed around her head like an ocean of spun gold, and the sight of her caused him to smile giddily like a schoolboy into her skin as he laid kisses down her neck.

"Why don't we just agree to both being pretty remarkable?" River said smugly as he kissed the top of her breasts reverently.

"Deal," He agreed, and then they were kissing again, this time with no intention of stopping. The Doctor tangled his hands in her magnificent hair and set himself free of any inhibitions, letting himself get lost in a world of sensation and love that was purely _River, _and knowing that there was nowhere in the universe he would rather be.

* * *

Although the Doctor rarely slept, it was much easier and much more pleasant to do so when he had River next to him, with all her curly hair and satiny skin. Humans were so…soft. So calming. He had woken a little while ago when the pale gold sunlight streamed through the large window and hit the bed they were lying in, and now was content with watching his still sleeping wife.

The moment he had met her in the library he had realised that she was no ordinary archaeologist, but it hadn't been until she whispered his true name in his ear that it dawned on him how truly important she was going to be to him. And he'd fought it, of course. At the time, he had still been mourning Rose, and even once he was content that she was happy, it wasn't until his regeneration shed the longing for the human shopgirl that he could truly move on. But even after that, he hadn't liked the idea of someone like River Song bossing him around, and fought the evitable for quite a while. But…it was _River. _How was he supposed to resist?

He had always had a strange love for humans, and he had wondered several times if that was foreshadowing, telling him that he would one day fall in love with one. If he was being honest, he had fallen in love with several, a few more than he would care to admit, but it was River that he had allowed himself to truly love, and be loved in return.

Breaking him out of his thoughts, River's body stretched against his as she re-entered the realm of consciousness, and her grey eyes opened to gaze at him sleepily.

"Morning, sweetie," She murmured.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," The Doctor said back, smiling at her fondly. "You know, I keep forgetting how much you humans sleep."

River laughed, rolling her eyes at his antics and not seeming to take offense at the comment. "It's necessary so that we have the stamina for…" Her eyes ran over him without any attempted subtlety and she smirked. "Other things."

The Doctor chuckled, "Yes, I suppose you do," He said, smugness evident in his voice. "Do you want breakfast?"

"Yes, but not until-" River didn't bother finishing her sentence. Instead, she kissed her husband deeply, and he was quick to pull away, shaking his head at her.

"No, River, I mean actual food! It's not just sleep that you need, you need sustenance!" He protested, and got out of the bed. He pulled a sheet around his body and walked from the room.

When River finally joined him in the kitchen – wearing a thin robe she had found in the wardrobe – she had to admit that the smell of eggs coming from the stovetop was incredibly welcome.

"I forget that you can cook," She said as she sat down at the quaint little table and inhaled the aroma for the second time.

The Doctor deposited a plate of blue eggs in front of her before sitting down with his own at the other place at the table, looking pleased with the compliment. "I travel through time, River, I've learnt from some of the best cooks in history."

"Well, you certainly cook eggs brilliantly," She spooned the food into her mouth contently, and found a question nagging at her brain. "Sweetie, this children thing isn't really bothering you, is it?"

He paused, clearly unsure of how to respond, but when he looked up his eyes were soft and tender. "River, I've had children before, but you haven't. I just wish I wasn't the reason that you have to miss out on that."

"Sweetie, it's not that I want children in general, it's that I would want to have _your_ children," She told him, "I'm not missing out on anything." Her gaze dropped to her lap. "I do wish that I could…that I could give you-" The Doctor was at her side within seconds and had kissed her before she could utter the last word of her sentence.

"River…my days as a father were over a very long time ago, and I accepted then that I wouldn't be a father again…River, you are all I could ever want," He cupped her cheek in his hand, staring into her eyes with all the love and affection in the universe, and she had to smile back. Then her hand darted out and snagged his sheet in such a way that it dropped to the floor. Despite the inevitable blush that rose in his cheeks, he also grinned at her and pulled her into his arms, locking her legs around his hips and carrying her over to the kitchen bench, where he then sat her down before helping her pull the horribly inconvenient robe off and throw it on the floor where it then lay forgotten.

* * *

That afternoon they went for a walk through the valley, and the wind made River's untameable curls all the more wild, much to her dismay and the Doctor's delight.

He had taken it upon himself to tell River about all of his past companions, starting from the little granddaughter who had grown up when he hadn't been watching. The only person he was omitting from the long story was Aliya, and while he felt guilty, he was not going to change his mind about that, as River didn't need to know about those particular details that somehow felt far more personal and precious than any of the others.

"And then came Romana," He sighed at having reached that point of the story, remembering the young Time Lady who had enchanted him so quickly, "She was Aliya's cousin and she was the most intelligent person I've ever met."

"Excluding yourself, of course," River put in with a cheeky grin, which quickly faded upon seeing his serious expression.

"Maybe even including," He said quietly, his eyes distant before he turned to smile at her widely, amusement back in his face. "She made her own sonic screwdriver, River!" He tried to gesture how important this was but failed at it miserably. "That is like, the epitome of sexy to me…" He paused and eyed her for a moment. "Except possibly your hair."

"Oh, get off," River snorted, but couldn't hide her pleased grin, "Get on with the story."

"Well, I…I'd never fallen in love with someone that fast, and still haven't to this day, nor do I expect to," The Doctor continued, and he held out his hand to her temple, projecting an memory of Romana's first incarnation, gorgeous yet haughty, into her head. Then it was followed by her second, the cute blonde who was the perfect balance between proud Time Lady and innocent child. He allowed River a few moments to absorb the images into her brain before pressing on. "But the Time Lords wanted her back after a while, but we ended up in E-Space, picked up Adric, who was a stowaway just like Sarah Jane and Zoe, and then she chose to stay there and free an enslaved race instead of being trapped on Gallifrey."

"Like Stephen did," River said, recalling a companion from earlier in his story, "Except he stayed to help rebuild a civilisation."

The Doctor grinned, pride in his eyes, "I told you, my companions are amazing, I choose them with great care!" The wind blew the hair all across his face, and powerless to stop it, he just glared at it before continuing. "Alright, so after that it was just me and Adric until Tegan accidentally wandered into the TARDIS while we were parked in Australia, because she thought it was a real police box, you see, and then she got so lost that we took off without even realising that she was inside! And then we ran into Nyssa, who we'd already met on Traken, but we had no idea how she'd ended up on Logopolis, and then the Master turned up and _that _didn't go well, he'd stolen Nyssa's father's body…"

* * *

They had taken a break from the storytelling, having gotten up to Ace, and gone inside to have lunch. As they sat down to a meal of fish fingers and custard – or in River's case, just the fish fingers – it occurred to the Doctor that he was up to his Eighth body in his storytelling, and that his Eighth had, for want of a better phrase, gotten around a bit.

"So, you regenerated in San Fransisco, then what?" River asked, and noticed him hesitating more than usual.

"Well, there was Bernice, she was an archaeologist like you-"

"Bernice Summerfield?" River's whole face lit up with excitement. The Doctor slowly nodded. "Ooh, I met her once on a Martian dig in the 27th century, she was brilliant!"

"Yes, she was," He agreed, looking unsure of how to take in the knowledge that one of his previous companions had known his wife, however briefly, "And there was Fitz, he…well, he was just Fitz, I suppose. And things…happened."

"With Fitz?"

"Yes. And Benny."

"But not at the same time."

The Doctor's eyes snapped up to hers, his embarrassment evident. "No! No, I've never done…_that._"

"So did you love those two as well, then?" She watched as he took in another deep breath, clearly not used to talking about it and having to explain his own – usually very complicated – feelings.

"I love all my companions, River, in a way…but no, I didn't love them, not like that," He said quietly. "And then there was the Time War, and – and Rose," His frown gave away that she was not something was in the mood for talking about, "I'll tell you more about her later, if you like, you know enough about her for now."

River smiled softly at him, "And that's it, isn't it? Because I know all the others…all your friends, all your companions, all those wonderful people…thank you for telling me, sweetie."

"Well, you married me, you have a right to know," He said offhandedly, gathering their plates and putting them in the appliance that washed them.

"The way I see it, sweetie, is that no one has a right to know anything that you don't want them to," River took his face in her hands, delicately touching his cheek as she looked him in the eyes. "But now I know that you're capable of feeling even more than I thought."

The Doctor kissed her then, and if she felt any of his tears against her cheeks, she said nothing.

* * *

A few days later, as the two of them woke to the bright daylight, a thought occurred to River.

"So, am I the first, since Rose?"

The Doctor halted where he had been tracing Gallifreyan on her shoulder. "Rose and I never…"

Her surprise was plain, but she didn't question the answer. "Since Fitz, then?" Again she was surprised when he shook his head. "Then who?"

"A friend who needed comforting, that's all, it was the only thing I felt that I could do," The Time Lord admitted, and she smiled at him again.

"Don't look so worried, sweetie, I've had sex for far less virtuous reasons," She laughed, and he had to laugh with her.

"Oh? And tell me, Doctor Song," A mischievous glint returned to his eyes as he flipped them over so that she was beneath him, "Were they Time Lords?"

"Of course not."

"Then obviously you were quite deprived before you met me," He captured her laugh with a kiss as their hands tangled in each other's hair and all thoughts of conversation faded from their thoughts for quite some time.

* * *

"Promise you'll stay with me," The Doctor asked one evening, and she looked at him, clearly pained.

"You know that I can't stay with you all the time," River said, casting her eyes away from him.

He shook his head. "No, I know that, but just…stay for a while once we pick Aliya back up. A few months at least. Let's just be linear for a little bit."

His eyes were sad and pleading, and she realised that she too longed to be linear, even just for a small amount of time, and so she nodded.

"Alright, my love."

* * *

Back at the now virtually abandoned wedding reception, Jack had just gotten himself his fourth glass of champagne when the blonde woman lying across several chairs finally began to stir.

"Where'd everyone go?" She slurred dreamily, and he laughed as he sat down next to her.

"They're gone, the Doc took them home, and now him and River are on their honeymoon," Jack explained, and she nodded slowly to show her comprehension as she sat up.

"So...they just left us here?" Aliya frowned deeply and leaned back in her chair.

"Well, they're not going to be gone very long, this is just so they can pick you up after."

"So you're sort of…my babysitter?" She lifted an eyebrow but soon got distracted by her own words. "Why even call it a babysitter? I mean, you don't sit on babies, or at least, I really hope you don't…" Before Jack could answer, her gaze went to her feet and noticed an absence. "Jack, where are my shoes?"

The ex-Time Agent shrugged and she leaned on him earnestly.

"No, really, Jack, where are my shoes?" Aliya jumped up and her head whipped in several directions as she tried to spot her lost footwear. When he didn't even bother getting up to help – partly because watching her in her drunk state was far more amusing – she approached him and leant over him, straddling one of his knees, giggling. "Jaaack…please, I need my-" Then he kissed her as a way of stopping her drunken whining, and she happily went along with it.

"Now, Alibear, do you really need your shoes?" At his question, the Time Lady began to nod her head, only to stop and shake it slowly upon seeing his raised eyebrow. With that settled, he pulled her in for another kiss, and she giggled against his lips.

"We're both really drunk," She whispered as if she had only just realised, "Oooops."

"I guess I probably shouldn't deflower you on that table, then," Jack said thoughtfully, and that made her snort, leaning away from him and jumping off his knee to sit on the aforementioned table.

"Deflower? Please, Koschei took care of that centuries back," She hiccupped.

"Koschei?"

Aliya paused, sorting his question in her head before giggling again. "Oh right, he goes by the Master now, doesn't he? Oops again."

Jack wasn't so drunk that this information could be funny, as his memories of being killed multiple times every day by the Master on the Valiant were still very fresh despite the amount of time that had passed since. "You lost your virginity to the Master?!" He had stood up, watching her with concern and a strange disgust.

"Don't look at me like that," She frowned, slurring her words again, "I'm not proud of it. It was…bad day, bad couple of decades, lots of mindfuckery…" Jack raised an eyebrow. "He got into my head and, erm, scrambled things around," she trailed off, deep in thought before a scowl settled on her usually delicate features. "…manipulative sadistic bastard made me want it, didn't he? He was bloody gorgeous back then, all young and no…erm…thingy…oh, beard, that's it." She made vague gestures around her chin. "Though apparently he didn't have a beard when you met him, so that's an improvement, at least."

"So, he forced you?"

"No, he didn't," Aliya defended, louder than necessary, "I did want it but I wouldn't have done it without his…persuasion. There were others times…much later… I didn't want it but then he just…" She looked at the ground for a moment before snagging another glass of champagne and drinking half of it in one gulp. "Look, he never held me down while I kicked and screamed if that's what you're thinking. Sick bastard always wanted me to want it as much as he did."

Jack didn't seem so convinced. "If he manipulated your mind to make you want it, that's not consensual, Ali!"

"I loved him Jack, you don't understand so shut up!" She wailed, finishing the glass of champagne. "I thought you were fun."

"And I thought you were just some happy go-lucky Time Lord," Jack answered, staring at her as if he saw her in a new light, and not looking too sure about whether he liked it.

"No such thing!" She said in a sing-song voice as she laughed. "Except maybe…Millennia, but she was a bit…" Her finger made circles near her temple to indicate that the aforementioned Millennia had not been altogether with it. "Good engineer, though, much better than me-" Somehow, she managed to fall off the table, but got to her feet quickly, snickering at herself. "Nope, us Time Lords are all fucked up," she rolled her eyes and sat down in a chair. "How else could you explain the fact that the Doctor's married a human…ew…and that I'm travelling with them, both of us pretending in the meantime that _we_ didn't used to be the ones shagging 'cos we were so godddamn in love with each other!" The blonde woman sighed, abruptly frowning as she looked up to see Jack staring at her, apparently shocked by the news. "Aaaand I really shouldn't have said that out loud…again with the oops," She giggled.

"Well as intriguing as that all is," Jack said slowly, coming to sit beside her, "It's probably better that we keep it to ourselves until we can discuss this when we're both totally sober." Aliya tried to nod seriously, but just ended up snickering again, and this time Jack joined in. "You and the Doctor, though? Seriously?" He chuckled – proving that he himself was quite drunk as well, as he would be far more worried about it as a sober man.

"Tell me about it," Aliya laughed, "Though not….recently, it was before the Time War and all that shit went down." She made more vague hand gestures that really meant nothing but seemed to reassure her anyway. "But there were different times…different bodies, lots of combinations…ooh that sounded rather more suggestive out of context!" She fell about in giggles again, just as the sound of the TARDIS materialising filled the room. Falling silent and somewhat solemn, she got to her feet, holding back more giggles as she put a finger to her lips, buying Jack's silence.

"So are you lot going to take me back to Cardiff?"

"For another kiss, yes, but you'd better make it good," Aliya said flirtatiously, and Jack laughed, getting to his feet and taking her face firmly in his hands before giving her a kiss that left her breathless. "Okay, yep, that'll do…holy stars you're a good kisser…"

By then, the TARDIS had fully materialised, and the Doctor popped his head out of the doors. Taking in the scene in front of him, with his giggling and drunk best friend in the arms of Captain Jack Harkness, he raised an eyebrow.

"I hope you two have been behaving," He said with a small smile, and Aliya laughed as she walked away from Jack and into the TARDIS.

"Not remotely," She replied cheerily, "What have you two been doing, anyway?"

"Hmm, let's see," Jack commented dryly as he followed her in, "Oh yeah. Each other, each other, and wait - each other." The Time Lady fell into another bout of giggles at that, and waved enthusiastically to River, who was on the console platform.

"Very funny," The Doctor stonily said as he shut the doors behind them, "Just how drunk are you two?"

"Me? Very," Aliya announced, unabashed, "Him? Not too much, you know he's very good at holding his liquor."

"Anyway, Doc, if you could just drop me back in Cardiff, I'll be on my way," Jack requested, and River was quick to oblige. A few minutes later, they had landed and the ex-Time Agent was on his way out the door. "Bye Doctor, River," He nodded at the married couple, "Ali," he winked, "Come spend some time at Torchwood if you get tired of the newlyweds."

Aliya leaned over the railing of the console platform, grinning. "You know I will," She then blew him several air kisses, and he laughed as he walked out of the TARDIS. Once he was gone, the Doctor looked at her strangely.

"Since when do people call you Ali?"

"_People _don't; you and Jack do," she snickered, "It's just a nickname, Theta, I'm sure you can learn to share. Anyway, I need to get to bed and get rid of this-" She tapped the side of her head meaningfully, "Got to sleep this sodding alcohol off. Anyone care to help?"

The drunk Time Lady then posed in what was clearly supposed to be a seductive way, and waggled her eyebrows at River, who smirked but offered to help her to her room.

* * *

The next morning, Aliya woke up, her mind utterly unsure of what was going on. When she tried to sit up, the massive head rush that followed made her groan and sink back into the pillows. She attempted to recall what had happened the previous night, but most of it came up as a giant blur. As her killer headache didn't want her to go anywhere yet, she saw no option other than getting someone to come to her and answer some of the questions she had. Creating a hypercube took much longer than usual, and she noted as it flew out of the room that its flight path was somewhat wonky, but it did its job because soon there was a knock on her bedroom door.

"So, you're awake then?" The Doctor opened the door and leaned against the frame, watching her with an expression she couldn't decipher.

"Obviously."

"What do you remember?" If the look he was giving her was anything to go by, there were clearly a few important details she had forgotten.

"Not much," She admitted. He laughed at that, and she bit her lip worriedly. "Oh Rassilon, what did I do?"

Pursing his lips in a way that made it obvious he was trying not to laugh again, the Doctor watched her with smug amusement. "Among other things, you invited me into your bed rather seductively." Her mouth fell open, her expression one of horror. "Several times, if I recall."

Aliya groaned loudly and buried her face in her duvet. "Oh dear lord…"

"You invited River too, if that helps."

"Why would that help?!" She cried. "So I turn into a slag when I'm drunk, is that it?"

The Doctor awkwardly looked at the ground. "It's looking that way, you _were _very…bold."

"You said 'seductively', please tell me I didn't do anything too terrible," The blonde begged, and at that he chuckled.

"Actually, that part was more…funny, than anything else."

Weakly, she asked, "Why?"

"Because you were just sort of posing all over various things in ways that were obviously to be…seductive…but since you were drunk you weren't exactly doing it right and-"

"And I just looked like an idiot," she finished for him, and slowly he nodded, grinning. At that, she threw a pillow at his face, but he didn't looked put out even as it came off his shoulder. Seeming to decide that there wasn't much she could do about it, she got out of the bed and seemed to realise that she wasn't wearing her bridesmaid dress. "Hang on, did one of you-"

"River. She thought you might appreciate it," He eyed the white nightie she'd been dressed in before offering her his arm, which she took gratefully when she got to the door, as her head was still pounding. "Breakfast?"

"Yes please," She muttered, still shaking her head at herself.

* * *

As the two of them entered the kitchen, River looked up from her pancakes with a devious grin on her face.

"So, you're awake." The woman waggled her eyebrows.

"Unfortunately," The Time Lady grumbled, lowering herself into a chair and snagging a bit of toast from the toast rack, "The Doctor has been informing me of last night's events. I'm sorry for trying to seduce you…both of you."

"Sweetie, I haven't laughed so hard in a long time, don't apologise," River said brightly, "Though you did seem to get the wrong idea as I was getting that dress off you, but you're quite a good kisser, sweetie, even as a drunk."

Aliya's fingers flew to her lips, her eyes widening. "Oh, I didn't kiss anyone else did I?" Her gaze flicked over to the Doctor, who shook his head.

"Other than Jack, of course," River added, "Though I'm assuming you remember that."

"I remember kissing Jack several times, but I'm going to guess that there's quite a few kisses I don't remember…my last memory was when Rani and Clyde found us…" The Doctor and River both stared at her with raised eyebrows, and she was quick to add, "Kissing! We were just kissing!" She didn't mention the detail that Jack's hand had been venturing up her skirt, as it was none of their business. "Now, change of subject…how was the honeymoon?"

"Brilliant, we definitely enjoyed ourselves," River said in such a sultry way that both Time Lords turned bright red, and she laughed, "Goodness you two are funny. Are all Time Lords such prudes?"

"Well…yes, I suppose, it's not so much the doing part-"

"-well I know that-"

"-we just don't talk about it," The Doctor admitted thoughtfully.

"But other than _the obvious, _what else did you two get up to?" Aliya pointedly asked, still rather pink and trying to keep certain mental images out of her head. At that the Doctor grinned like the child he was.

"I rode a camel!" He said happily. "Also, we ate fish fingers and custard on top of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, and played an elaborate game of Hide and Seek across three galaxies with some very friendly Blathereen."

"He also landed us in the middle of a gladiator match in the Roman Colosseum, and spat out food in a top Parisian Restaurant and got us kicked out," River shot her husband an accusing look, and Aliya snorted as she finally got around to spreading butter and jam on her toast.

"Sounds fun," She said, "So how long has it been for you two then?"

The Doctor shrugged, frowning as he tried to work it out. "Not sure, three months? Something like that."

"But obviously we missed our favourite gooseberry," River pinched Aliya's cheek with mock affection and the Time Lady scowled, shoving her hand away while the married couple laughed at her.

"I hate you both," She muttered, biting into her toast and rolling her eyes, ignoring them. "I may not remember everything, but I do remember that I promised to stay at Torchwood and work for Jack for a while, and the more condescending you are, the sooner I'll leave!"

"That's hardly far, we only just got you back!" The Doctor protested. "Stay for a while, it's been ages since the three of us have properly travelled together! Even River's going to stay for a bit too."

"Come on, sweetie, we were just teasing before," River looked at her friend and smiled, "You're not _really _a gooseberry."

Aliya had to laugh. "Well, I sort of am…and alright, I'll stay. Who's going to keep you two out of trouble if not me?"

"Alright, the gang is back together!" The Doctor beamed at both of them. "Soon we'll be off on another adventure just like old times."

Aliya got up from the table, taking her piece of toast with her, "Old times for you, perhaps, it was only a couple of days ago for me…just let me kick this hangover first."

"Oh, there's a hangover tonic that Jack left behind years back, should be in one of the bathrooms," The Doctor said as she went to leave the room, "Will sort you out before you can say 'Raxacoricofallapatorius'."

"Which bathroom?"

"How should I know?"

"Doctor, there's twenty three bathrooms on this ship!"

"Actually, twenty five, she's added in two more while you've been gone."

"So I have to find each of the twenty five bathrooms to see which one has it?"

"Yeah, think of it like a game."

He dodged the block of butter that she threw at his head after swiping it from the countertop, and laughed.

"I hate you sometimes."

"No, you don't."

"Hey, that's my line!"

* * *

**It's probably a really good thing that Aliya isn't going to be getting drunk again any time soon, because she is a bit too fun to write and I don't entirely trust myself with her anymore... :P **

**Still, I hope you guys found it funny and liked the Doctor/River honeymoon. Review and let me know, my lovelies! **

**-MayFairy :) **

Anonymous Review Replies:

- _Guest _- Glad that you loved all the 11/River, hopefully you liked it in this chapter too! And same with the Jaliya. :) thanks for the review!

- _Caligo _- Yes, Aliya and Jack definitely aren't that good at keeping each other out of trouble, because Aliya is a sexual and reckless drunk while Jack is just incorrigible all the time! Thanks for the review!

- _Starlight Dreams - _I'm so glad that you're enjoying the story! It means a lot that you think I'm a good author. And that you think Aliya is believable means a lot to me...Doctor/River and Jaliya are both really fun, and I amuse myself by writing this story so it's good to know that I'm amusing others too! Thanks so much for such a lovely review! :)


	43. Separation on Ventora: Piece of Hell

**Wooo, about two and a half weeks! Aren't you all proud of me? :) **

**Especially considering how this is a bloody MASSIVE chapter...mainly because I was determined for it to be one chapter as opposed to two, so here you are my lovelies, have a great big whopping chapter! **

**Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter: loulouflowerpower, Caligo Origuu, AliasMarie, ZackAttack96, eek99, OptimisticLivvy, Spirit-of-the-Rain, fanfreak4ever, goblindreamer, Marmelatta, aren, Mrs. 11th, and whovian-halfbloods. You're all awesome! **

**Anonymous review replies at bottom of chapter. **

**Now, I will say that this is an adventure arc chapter, that contains some Aliya!whump of sorts, but there's a reason behind it all, which will sort of be revealed next chapter. You'll see. :) **

* * *

In the midst of an off-world forest, a blue police box materialised and three travellers stepped out of it, admiring the scenery around them. The first was a woman with incredibly curly blonde hair and an admirable figure that could turn anyone's head, accented by her tight pants and low cut top, and she was followed by a man dressed in tweed with brown floppy hair. The third was a woman who appeared younger than the first, wearing denim jeans and her favourite matching jacket, who took her surroundings in with more interest than the other two.

"Where are we?" River Song asked her husband, as they had chosen to use the randomiser on this particular occasion, and the man stuck out his tongue to taste the air and particles around them.

"Horsehead Nebula," He said immediately, "The planet Ventora, and the year is…3047, and it's cold season, so we'll have to make sure we're somewhere warm when the sun goes down, it's going to get a bit chilly!"

Aliya eyed her best friend with blatant envy that was written all over her face. "Teach me to do that," She moaned, but he only smirked at her.

"You know that I can't, it's a matter of experience, my young Padawan," He said, patting her head like he would a five-year old.

"Padawan?"

"You really don't know _anything_, do you?" He looked at her with distaste while River chuckled.

"Come on, sweetie, that's a bit harsh," she said, "let's just have a look around and stop insulting people."

The trio had only been walking for about ten minutes when a group of thirty people who appeared to be soldiers came across them, all riding on some form of hovercraft. The natives of the planet had incredibly pale skin and slightly large eyes with dark irises. They were somewhat short but clearly muscular despite their smaller stature. All of them had red hair worn in a braid, but while some were fully blown gingers, others had lighter sun streaks from spending time outside.

"Eastern spies!" One of males declared the moment his eyes landed on the foreigners, who were glad to see that every other member of the group rolled their eyes.

"Use your eyes, Talon," The male who looked to be in charge – if the red sash around his arm that set him apart from the others were anything to go by – said irritably, "They're not from the East, no Ventorian has such dark skin or hair so fair or dark."

"Dark skin, that's a new one, never been called dark skinned before," The Doctor whispered. He seemed delighted, and with that the leader turned his gaze onto the trio.

"Are you offworlders?" He asked, and they all slowly nodded. "Are you in any way employed by the Eastern army?"

"Well, we've only been here about ten minutes, you're the first people we've ran into on this planet at all," The Doctor explained, and several of the Ventorians exchanged unsure looks.

A steely female addressed the leader. "Commander, we are too far East to idly chat in such a small group, we must either take them back to camp or leave them here, but we must keep moving now!"

He nodded in agreement and looked back at the travellers. "We have now intention to harm you if you have none to harm us."

"We don't, believe me," The Doctor assured them.

"Then get aboard, and quickly."

Several of the males were quick to help River and Aliya to hop onto the craft, and the Doctor looked mildly disappointed, left on the ground. The female Ventorian who had previously spoken smirked at him and gave him a hand up.

* * *

The camp was well organised and swimming with other Ventorian soldiers, all dressed in the same plain leggings and sleeveless shirt, the former the colour of the very thin trunks of the local trees, while the latter matched the very pale green of the leaves. In addition, every soldier had a blue sash tied around their upper arms which matched the colour of the tents.

The trio were surprised to see massive feline creatures around the camp, being cared for by handlers.

"What are those?" Aliya asked one of the soldiers next to her.

"The Halla," He replied, "Perfect for taking out small crafts and weapons on the battlefield."

"They're gorgeous," She breathed, staring at the magnificent animals, awed.

The man merely smirked as the craft came to a stop. Minutes later, the travellers had been directed to the main tent, where a large war table was laid with various figures depicting positions of allied and enemy camps. The Commander immediately crossed to a device at the head of the table, and activated it.

"_Camp 5 receiving," _said a voice from the end of the speaker, _"Was our order for more supplies fulfilled?" _

"A group will leave in the morning with the supplies," The Commander replied, "Anything to report?"

"_The East has been unusually quiet and we're suspicious, will send a report through if there are any dramatic changes. Camp 5 out." _

"I'm telling you, we haven't seen a single East soldier in a week," grumbled one of the soldiers – presumably a lieutenant, by the fact that he had a black sash around his arm with four white lines across it, the like of which they had seen on several others, though with a different number of lines, "They're planning something."

"We're doing everything we can," The female from earlier said, and River noted that she too was a lieutenant, with two lines on her black sash, "No point fretting."

"Do you never worry over anything, Wirea?" The male raised his eyebrow, eyeing her as if she were an alien herself, and she smirked at him.

"Perhaps if you were more logical than speculative, you would rank higher than the Fourth of this camp. Consider that there is a reason that I'm the Second," Wirea retorted dryly before her gaze fell upon the outsider trio, and meanwhile, all others left the room. "So, if you're offworlders, where are you from?"

"I'm from Earth, or Terra, whichever you prefer," River offered, and the Commander and Wirea looked at each other, both frowning.

"Is that near Ventora? We know only of the nearest planets, very few have the means to leave this planet," The Commander's eyes burned into each of them with curiosity and slight suspicion.

"Ah well, yes, then you won't know Earth, and you won't know our planet either, we're all from very far away. But we're totally friendly, promise," said the Doctor abruptly, smiling to enforce his words.

"Friendly enough to help us in our fight against the East?"

"Wirea," The Commander growled, shooting his second-in-command a warning look, but she didn't flinch or back down.

"If they have only just arrived they cannot have any prior loyalties, therefore, if they have useful skill sets, we might as well employ them into appropriate areas," said Wirea, who then eyed the travellers meaningfully.

"We don't really want to get involved in a civil war," Aliya put in hesitantly, "But if there's something small we could do, we would happy to help with that and then be on our way."

River nodded. "I could take a look at your weapon stock, if you like, check that none of them are faulty and see if I can make some adjustments."

"I could do the same with the hovercrafts," suggested Aliya.

The Commander smiled properly for the first time, nodding. "That would be much appreciated," He then looked at the Doctor, "And can you do anything?"

"Me? I do like strategy games…let's see if we can work out the East's new angle and why they've been so quiet," The Time Lord clapped his hands together with a grin, "It'll be like a riddle."

Aliya sceptically eyed him. "It's nothing like a riddle!"

"Oh, shut up," He said, dismissing her comment with a wave of his hand before pulling out his sonic, "Do either of you need this?"

At that, the Time Lady's eyes lit up. "Actually-" She hurried to search her pockets, "-I promised myself after the wedding that I would find it, and after two months of looking-" Her hand re-emerged with her own sonic screwdriver in her grasp. "-I found it the other day, in the biography section of the library."

The Doctor frowned at that as if a bee had stung him. "Well, yes, I always lose things in the biography section of libraries, not sure why." Upon him uttering the cryptic statement, his and Aliya's eyes met, and after a few moments of his grave stare, she jerked her head away, realisation hitting her and leaving her with a pit in her stomach.

"Can someone show me to where the hovercrafts are worked on?" She asked Wirea stiffly, and was lead out as River looked between the two of them with deep confusion.

"Have I missed something?" The archaeologist inquired slowly, and when the Doctor turned to face her, his smile was bright and affectionate.

"No, just a bad inside joke she probably didn't appreciate," He lied smoothly, and River rolled her eyes with reluctant fondness.

"Stop antagonising her, sweetie," She said as she took the sonic from his hand, "I'll see you later." With a wink and a swish of her hips, she was gone from the tent as well.

* * *

Having shed her jacket for fear of getting it dirty, Aliya sat cross-legged in her jeans and tank top on the top of one of the grounded hovercrafts. She was pulling out wires and examining them all, checking for the rudimentary things such as fuses before she got down to the proper work.

In her peripheral vision, she would see two Ventorians flicking glances her way as they discussed something. She caught the phrase 'yellow woman', and frowned in slight confusion. As one of them walked off, the other approached the craft she was working on.

"So you're one of the ones that everyone's talking about?" He asked, looking down at her sitting form from where he stood.

"I suppose I am," She grinned, "Though are you really calling me 'the yellow woman'?"

The Ventorian didn't seem to realise how strange the alias was to her. "Well, you're a woman."

"But I'm not ye-" The Time Lady stopped, thinking it over and then laughing, "Actually, I suppose I am."

"Your hair is yellow, and your skin is a dark yellow of sorts, it's an accurate name," He noted, and held out his arm to compare to hers, and when she stretched it out, they chuckled over the contrast between his white skin and the richer fleshy colour of hers. "And you know of the workings of these crafts?"

"Yeah, I've agreed to make some modifications if I can," Aliya directed her attention back to the wires in her hands as she put them all back in their original places so that she could begin with the aforementioned modifications. "What's your job around here?"

"I make the repairs," He eyed the crafts around them somewhat grudgingly, "The damned things break frequently, so I'm constantly busy."

"Then I'll be sure not to make so many modifications that you're out of a job."

* * *

A few hours later, the male returned. "Yellow woman! Are you in need of refreshments?"

"Well, if you're offering!"

The Ventorian lifted an eyebrow as he approached the craft she was working on – a different one to the craft she had been on when they had met previously. The offworlder was awkwardly bent across one of the rails intended for the stability of those riding the craft, her foot holding down a lever while her fingers frantically worked with the circuits barely in her reach.

"That doesn't look very comfortable," He observed cheekily, and it was hard to tell while she was the wrong way up, but she seemed to smirk at his comment.

"No, I don't imagine it's very elegant either," She replied.

His large dark eyes ran over her without much attempt at hiding it and his mouth twitched. "Not elegant, but, er-"

Instantly catching his drift, the blonde woman unsuccessfully tried to fight down a blush, and reluctantly grinned. "Oh, right. There!" Her body slumped with obvious relief and she made to right herself before smiling at him tiredly. "And my name's Aliya, you don't need to keep calling 'yellow woman'."

"Kril," He said, gesturing to himself, "Drink?" He held out a water container, and after wiping a thin sheen of sweat from her forehead, she gratefully took it and drank deeply before handing it back to him.

"Thanks," As she sat down he smiled at her, revealing brilliant white teeth. After a few moments she noticed his staring and self-consciously froze. "What, what is it?"

His hand reached out towards her hair, hesitating, waiting. "May I?" His innocent eyes made it impossible for her to say no.

"Sure."

Gentle as a summer breeze, his fingers brushed against the golden strands of her hair, and a large smile broke out on his face as he stared at it in awe. "It's amazing."

"It's just hair," Aliya laughed, "Yours would be a bit more like this if you spent more time in the sun...you have some streaks already."

"So you spend a lot of time in the sun, then?"

"No, my hair is naturally like this."

"Your skin as well?"

"Yes."

"You come from a different planet. That's what they say," Kril said, and she nodded. "What is it like?"

"I don't know if I want to talk about it," She frowned, unsure.

Kril's eyes were earnest as he pleaded, "Please. Tell me."

"Well…it-It was beautiful," Aliya closed her eyes for a moment as she pictured it before looking back into the dark eyes of the Ventorian opposite her, "The grass was blood red and the sky a burnt orange. Our two suns would rise and the light would bounce off the silver trees, making it look like an immortal burning forest."

Kril looked like a child in those moments, wide eyes shining, awed by the description. After a moments of silence something passed across his face. "You said was."

"It's gone now." Her eyes moved to the ground while her jaw set into a hard line because she knew that if she didn't become staunch she would let out too many emotions in front of a person who wouldn't know how to handle it.

"Gone?"

"Planets can be destroyed as easily as people sometimes, if one has the means" She yanked out some grass and began carefully tying knots into it for something to do.

"You must miss your home," Kril reached out a hand to touch her shoulder, making her look up at him, bearing a pained frown.

"Every day," She said quietly. As if sensing that she needed a subject change, Kril brought up something else.

"The other two offworlders, your friends...they are mated, yes?"

At that she had to laugh. "Yeah, that's one way of looking at it."

"But you have no mate."

"No. I don't need one."

"But do you want one?"

The question took her by surprise. After a few moments of careful thought, she answered, "Not really. I have those two as my friends, that's all I need or want. What about you?"

Kril grinned cheekily. "There is one young woman, at Camp 5, but I believe that she thinks flirting is my only agenda."

"I wonder how she came by that idea?" Aliya said dryly, and he laughed, eyes sparkling.

"You, Yellow woman, flirt just as much as I do," He accused.

The Time Lady shook her head, giggling. "I'm just playing along. And I'm allowed to flirt as much as I like, because unlike you, there isn't anyone's attention I'm trying to get."

"Perhaps you just haven't met anyone worth wanting yet?"

"Perhaps."

* * *

Meanwhile, River had gone through the weapon stock within a matter of hours and had returned to the main tent, where the Doctor, the Commander, and Wirea were standing around the map table, deep in discussion.

"Need any help in here? I'm done on my end," She asked, crossing over to the Doctor and placing the sonic back in his pocket.

"So how's Aliya getting on?"

River waggled her eyebrows. "Having a fine time flirting with some gorgeous Ventorian."

The Doctor's expression was unreadable as he cast his gaze back to the table in front of him. "I think Jack's been a bad influence on her."

"Possibly," River grinned and he allowed himself to smirk at the idea.

"The two of you are free to finish for the day," The Commander offered, "It will be dark without the hour and you will want to be in a sealed tent by then, for the cold of the night is dangerous. There are several unoccupied tents, so the choice is yours if you can find them."

"Thank you for your hospitality," The Doctor smiled gratefully and wove River's fingers through his. "Well then, River, I suppose we'd better find our tent."

* * *

For the Doctor, morning couldn't come fast enough, no matter how many different - and intriguing, he had to admit - ideas River had come up with to pass the time. He didn't like being told what to do, especially when it involved being forced to stay in any place for longer than a minute. It wasn't even that he was opposed to being in one place for an extended period of time, but in the most childish way, being forced into it somehow made it utterly unbearable.

He hadn't of course tried explaining this to River, because she had already taken to telling him that he had the face of a twelve year old, he didn't need her adding to it with deducting that he acted with the maturity of a five year old. He could then attempt to call her a pedophile but she would probably point out that he was her elder by approximately 1200 years, so that one would probably backfire.

But eventually a horn blast rang through the camp to signal the temperature outside was again manageable for the inhabitants of the camp. Within seconds, the Doctor was opening the tent and throwing back the flaps to let in the bright morning sunlight.

His previously sleeping wife woke with a yelp and clutched the blankets to her bare body. She shot a glare at him.

"Sweetie, next time I would appreciate it if you warned me before exposing us to the entire camp," She growled, unamused, and the Doctor looked sheepish as he pulled the opening shut.

"Sorry, restless, you know me," He awkwardly smiled and waited with surprising patience for her to get dressed. Before they went to leave, he gave her an elated morning kiss which she happily recuperated. "Should we stay and help them today as well? We could always head back to the TARDIS before it got dark."

"Sounds like a plan," River smiled and walked out of the tent. The Doctor followed, pleased with himself.

* * *

The Time Lord's good mood was spoiled before too long, however.

"She's done what?!"

"You heard me. The yellow woman has gone with the transfer group to deliver repaired hovercrafts and supplies to Camp 5. She was needed to teach the hovercraft workers there of the modifications she made."

Wirea didn't look bothered in the slightest about the disbelievingly angry man in front of her.

"She didn't even talk to me first, why did you just let her go like that?" The Doctor demanded, pacing while River put a hand on his arm in an attempt to calm him down.

The Ventorian lieutenant lifted an eyebrow and regarded him with a cold calmness. "I wasn't aware that she was under obligation to report all of her movements to you."

That made the Doctor pause for a second, unable to think of a retort. "Well, she isn't! But she can't just run off to a camp with a bunch of strangers while we're stuck in the middle of an alien war either!"

"Doctor, she'll be fine," River assured him, and reluctantly, he relaxed a little.

"Alright, but once we've given them time to get there, we're sending the other camp a message to make sure that they all arrived and they're all fine," He said.

Wirea nodded. "Of course, it's standard procedure. They should be at the camp within the hour, we will call then."

* * *

"This is so much fun!" Aliya squealed excitedly as she clung to the rail of the speeding hovercraft. "Even if my hair won't stay out of my face." The aforementioned hair whipped across her eyes and nose for the fifty second time and she sighed a little.

Meanwhile, Kril was laughing at her. "I like this improvement! The craft is considerably faster than before!"

"I told you I was good!"

"We'll be at the camp at least twenty minutes ahead of schedule," said the lieutenant in charge, the Fourth who Wirea had reprimanded the day before. "Camp 5 five minutes away and counting."

* * *

When the group arrived at Camp 5, the workers there were quick to help get all the various supplies and crafts where they needed to be, meaning the transfer group had their jobs done within five minutes.

The First of the camp had been quick to inquire about why there was an obvious foreigner in the group, but Camp 4's Fourth explained and all was well.

Aliya and Kril sat down and had breakfast with the troops and workers of Camp 5, and the former did her best to answer all the questions put to her.

"Don't you find it annoying? All the questions they ask?" Kril quietly inquired at one point.

"Did I find your questions annoying?" She joked, and took a tiny bit of everything from the breakfast table that wasn't meat. "I travel the universe, and one of its greatest sights is the people. I like meeting them."

"But surely the questions get repetitive?"

Aliya shrugged. "I suppose."

Kril was about to reply when the urgent blast of a horn rang through the camp, and it took less than two seconds for every Ventorian to leap to their feet, utterly serious.

"Kril what is it, what does that horn mean?" Aliya demanded, and when she looked towards the direction of the horn, she was just in time to hear the sound cut off quickly and watched in horror the obvious sight of a person in the distance falling from a tree.

"The camp is under attack!" Kril pulled her by the hand towards the weapon stock and shoved a crossbow loaded with some sort of explosives into her hands before snatching one himself, "You'll need this."

They joined the other soldiers in the centre of the camp. An eerie silence reigned as the entire world fell still apart from noise in the distance. Aliya could very faintly hear the pounding heartbeats of every Ventorian around her. But her double heartbeat was the loudest of them all, and she gulped while examining her weapon and trying to figure out if she knew how to use it. And even if she did, she was sure that she wouldn't be able to kill anyone in cold blood…

Her thoughts were interrupted by an explosion. Within a second the entire world had turned to chaos, with a tent erupting into flames while hovercrafts of a different design flew into the camp. She could hear the snarling of the Halla and saw some flashes of the feline creatures in her vision. New Ventorians – hostile ones – leapt to the ground and a hundred battles began around her. She only had time to vaguely noticed the soldiers fighting her had dark green sashes around their arms, and realized that the arm sashes were a sign of fealty – blue for the West and green for the East. After that, several of them advanced on her and she had to stop thinking of such trivial things.

She managed to shoot her attackers in the legs, sending them to the ground and giving her a chance to back away.

"Yellow woman, are you mad? Shoot them between the eyes!" Kril barked as he shot at two Ventorians that he and a comrade of his were fighting.

"I'm not killing anyone!" She yelled back, and continued to aim for the legs, hoping to badly injure as an alternative. But too late, she sensed someone behind her. The Eastern soldier's fist collided with her face and she had enough time to register the pain of her nose breaking before she slipped from consciousness.

* * *

When Aliya came to, the first thing she did was make sure that her nose wasn't crooked, as she didn't want it to mend like that. Then she took in her surroundings, and wasn't happy when she realized that while she was still outside, they were definitely not in Camp 5 anymore. Also, her hands and feet were bound tightly. Too tightly.

"Kril!" Her head whipped around with panic, but she saw him lying some way away, still breathing. About twenty other Western soldiers were with them, and Aliya found herself wondering why they had been moved only to be abandoned until she saw a group of Eastern soldiers staring at her. "Where are we?" She shouted at them, and she could have sworn the leader smirked at the question as he approached her.

"So the foreigner speaks," He noted, in an accent much thicker than the ones the Western soldiers had. "Who are you?"

"I'm not answering any of your questions until you answer mine," The Time Lady said coolly, lifting her chin with defiance. The Commander laughed and crouched so that their eyes met.

"Your bravery is admirable, but you're being foolish. Why are you allied with the West if you are a traveler? You are clearly not of this world," He ran his eyes over her, hand darting out to touch her hair for a moment. She resisted the urge to recoil from him and keep her eyes locked with his.

"I'm allied to no one," She corrected, "Now, _where am I_?"

"You're at the west most camp of the Eastern forces. You say you are a traveler. Do you travel alone?"

"Yes. I prefer solitude," She lied in a way that she prayed was convincing, and noticed how his gaze shifted momentarily to the unconscious form of Kril, and she fought the instinct to gulp upon realizing that she had looked for him when she had woken, something the Eastern soldiers would have seen.

"Yet you are clearly somewhat attached to your Western friend here…handsome isn't he?"

"Yes. He's been kind to me. Just because I prefer solitude doesn't mean that I dislike people."

"It hardly matters," The Commander waved her excuses off with a wave of his pale hand. "You shall have your freedom and be allowed to go on travelling if you only tell us the plans of the Western army. You claim to not be allied but you fought alongside them so I am inclined to not believe you."

"I don't care if you believe me or not, but I don't know the plans of the Western army."

"Well if the people around you don't give us answers, you will all be thrown into the cellar of our fortress."

Aliya, angry, just rolled her eyes. "See if I care!"

His hand slapped her across her right cheek before he stood again. "Treat your superiors with more respect, offworlder, especially when you are at their mercy."

"I have no superiors!" She yelled as he went to walk away. He lifted a red eyebrow.

"You will soon learn otherwise."

* * *

Wirea tapped on the strategy table in a repetitive beat of three, deep in thought. The call to Camp 5 had been sent over ten minutes previous, yet there had been no reply. They had tried again of course. But…the sister camp was not responding. The call was procedure after any transfer, it was almost impossible that they had merely forgotten to call or answer…

As much as she prided herself on being completely rational and unassuming, even Wirea was beginning to fear that something was incredibly wrong. While most of her mind was worrying about the sister camp and the Western cause, there was another small voice telling her to wonder if Felin, the man she loved far more than she ever wanted to dare to love anyone, was alright. But she couldn't let her personal affiliations interfere with her duty.

And there was of course another problem. If Camp 5 had indeed been attacked, the offworlder who called himself the Doctor would be livid that his friend may quite probably dead. How could she break the news to him?

Just as she arrived at that question, the man in question entered the tent. Already he seemed impatient.

"Have they replied?"

"No," Wirea said quietly, not meeting his eyes.

"Is that common?" River, the other offworlder, appeared at the tent entrance, relatively collected emotionally, though the Second could see a flicker of concern on the human's face.

"It's too early to assume anything," Wirea quickly put in, but added, "But the system definitely isn't down on their end or our call wouldn't have gone through at all. These calls are procedure and the last time a camp didn't respond to a call when the system was still running…well."

River's eyes widened. "The camp had been attacked?" At the question posed by his wife, the Doctor's head jerked up to look between her and the Second. All Wirea could do was nod before the Commander came in as well.

"Still no reply?" He inquired, and Wirea shook her head gravely. "Very well, then we must assume the worst and assemble a task force to investigate."

"I'll organize it at once, sir," She saluted, but found the Doctor blocking her path when she went to leave.

"Me and River are coming too," He said, not as a question, but as a statement.

"We have no idea of your battle capabilities, you would be liabilities," She narrowed her eyes.

"Our friend is at that camp, we have every right to make sure that she's safe."

"It was her choice to go."

"She wouldn't have gone at all if you hadn't forced us to come here with you in the first place!"

"You didn't exactly protest."

"Silence, both you!" The Commander snapped.

River stepped forward. "Commander, I'm a very good shot with most aimed weapons, I would be able to hold my own _and_ keep an eye on him if you permitted us to come. Our friend is incredibly important to us and we need to make sure that she is safe."

"Please," The Doctor's voice was suddenly calm, his eyes sincere.

The Commander nodded after several moment's thought. "Very well."

Wirea sighed and left the tent to organize the troops that would be needed.

* * *

When the Western troops in the Eastern base woke, they all had immediately refused to reveal any information, and with no patience for insolence, it had been decided that they could all rot in the cellar until they decided to talk.

So, dully, Aliya walked next to Kril, fidgeting against the ropes that were digging painfully into her skin. "Are your ropes too tight?"

"Yes," He answered quietly, shooting a glance at their captors as the group got closer and closer to the fortress that looked as though it had once been home to nobility. "You refused to give away any of our secrets. Why?"

"I wouldn't betray people who have been so kind to me," She said, smiling a little. "Besides, I wasn't lying, it was the Doctor who was looking at the strategies, I just made some hovercraft modifications. I don't count those as secrets. I have none to tell even if I wanted to."

"I suppose you're right," Kril nodded.

"I usually am."

"Do you think that they killed everyone back at the camp?"

"I thought I heard them say that they had, but I could be wrong."

"You just said that you are usually right."

"Yes, but let's hope that this time is one of the exceptions."

Kril's ginger head bowed a little. "I _do _hope so, for Sera's sake."

"Is she the one that you said you liked? Cared for?" Aliya bit her lip with frustration. "Urgh, sometimes finding the right word is so hard in a language that isn't my first!"

"I know what you meant, and yes, that was her I mentioned."

"Cease your talking!" The Eastern Commander bellowed, and they quickly shut up as they were led through the castle. Aliya kept herself alert, taking in every turn they made and every corridor and staircase they went down to make sure that she would know the way out should she get a chance to escape. Finally they arrived at a wooden door with a small barred window built in it. "This is the cellar, and unless you decide to give us the information we want, you'll die in here within the week." The door was opened and the twenty odd soldiers and foreigner were shoved inside.

Within two seconds, Aliya realised something that should have occurred to her earlier, and felt a ball of panic rise in her gut. "Wait, you're going to put a light on in here though, aren't you? Or give us a torch or something?"

Seeing her expression, the Commander sniggered. "Why would we waste those on you?"

"No, please, I-" Her plea was lost when the door slammed in her face, leaving the room in total darkness. A sob dropped from her lips and she felt Kril's bound hands grab her by the arm.

"Aliya, come away from the door," He said quietly. She pressed her mouth shut as she let him lead her to sit in one of the corners of the room, with him next to her. "You're shaking."

The blonde clenched her trembling hands into fists as she tried to ignore the terrible sensation of the darkness pressing in on her, suffocating her, trapping her…

She couldn't stop the scream escaping and quickly took her left tank top shoulder strap between her teeth. She pressed it into her mouth so that she could bite down on it and not let another scream out.

"What's wrong?"

"The dark, I-I can't-" She squeezed her eyes shut and bit down hard onto the fabric. His fingers found her left arm and held it tightly for support.

But it didn't stop it shaking in his grasp.

* * *

The Camp 4 Western task force saw pillars of smoke in the distance as they approached Camp 5, and increased their speed. The sight of the torn and burning tents and the hundreds of Ventorian and Halla dead bodies was a horrific one, but not a single head turned away from the sight.

"Search for survivors and ensure that no Eastern troops remain," The Commander ordered. The troops spread out and the Doctor and River jumped off the hovercraft to find their companion.

After a few minutes of fruitless searching, the Doctor threw up his hands in frustration. "I can't sense her, River! I should be able to sense her, just that she's alive! But there's nothing, just…nothing! Urgh!"

"Sweetie, calm down, we'll find her."

Half an hour later, all the dead bodies had been gathered together in the centre of the camp. No one had been left alive, but there was no sign of Aliya either. It occurred to River that the Doctor, standing a few metres away from her, was staring at the pile of bodies that were being burnt, his expression grave. When she came to stand next to him, he spoke in a low, almost defeated voice.

"What if she's just dead? I can't sense her. It feels like there's no one in my head anymore, she might as well be dead for all I know."

"Well we're not going to leave until we find her," River assured him, taking his hand in hers, "Could she have regenerated and that somehow blocked her from you?"

"She's usually almost entirely blocked from me anyway, the void she was trapped in absorbed two of her regenerations, and a lot of her psychic presence," He answered. "But regeneration is _totally _unpredictable, I suppose it's possible."

"Sweetie!" River felt a grin appear on her face as an idea hit her. "Do you remember when she was hungover and she send you that cube?"

"The hypercube, yes, of course," The Doctor corrected, not seeing her point, "I explained it to you, River, Time Lords can wrap up thoughts and messages into psychic cubes and send them to…" His head jerked to look at her with suddenly bright eyes. "River Song, I could bloody kiss you!" Quickly, he did just that, and continued to hold her face in his hands afterwards, grinning from ear to ear. "I'll get onto it right away."

* * *

The only time that Aliya was unable to feel and sense the passing of time was when she was in the dark. Usually, it was just something all Time Lords knew constantly, but when she was in the dark…her ability to function in almost every way dissipated. Luckily, breathing seemed to be natural, even if it was much more ragged than before.

She had tried getting Kril's help to search her pockets for her sonic to open the door, or her lamp to light up the room, or her sleeping pills to at least knock her out…but it had become evident that the Eastern troops had taken everything from her while she had been unconscious.

So she was utterly clueless as to how long they had been trapped, but Kril seemed to think that it had been somewhere between half an hour to an hour. Just when she thought she could take no more of the torture, a strange light seemed to appear in front of her. It solidified within seconds into the form of a glowing cube and she was so happy to see light again and to see something that she knew was from the Doctor, that she burst into tears of happiness.

Quickly, she took it in her hands – with some difficulty as they were still bound – and held it to her forehead, wanting to feel the psychic presence of her best friend as much as she possibly could.

In the back of her mind she could hear Kril asking her what it was, but she couldn't bring herself to care about what he was saying in that moment. The Doctor's voice – the voice of his mind, not his physical voice – beamed through her.

_Aliya, are you okay? We're at the camp but you're not here. Please be alive, Aliya, I need you to be alive, for me. I'm not quite sure what I would do without you. Let me know that you're okay, and where you are if you can. I'm going to come get you, I promise. _

A smile appeared on Aliya's face and she immediately put her thoughts to making a hypercube to send back. In less than a minute though, it became obvious that she didn't have the strength. To think how mentally drained she was already…but perhaps she had enough mental power to at least project to him for a single moment, just so that he knew that she was alive?

_Theta! _She thought, and even the effort of that had her breathing deeply again, slumping to her right against the corner of the cellar.

She kept his hypercube in her hands, resting it against her temple. In addition to his message, there were also the emotions he had felt while making it. She recognised concern, anger, helplessness, desperation, longing…a whole jumble of things that only confirmed what he had said in his actually message. Amongst it all was the aura of his mind as a whole, his soul, his essence…only a glimmer of course, hypercubes were used just a little too frequently to be that personal, they only showed as much as someone would sense when next to a person. In that moment, however, it was a comfort to be able to feel his mind as if he were actually here.

But even if he and River were able to rescue her, how long would they take? At least she had the hypercube to keep the dark away…

* * *

"River, what if she's dead and I just didn't feel it?"

"Sweetie, I-"

"Because there's no logical reason for me to feel anything if something were to happen to her…but I feel like I would, that I would feel _something_, because it's-it's her…it's _Aliya _and-" He trailed off with a frown. But before he could worry any longer, a burst of something filled his mind for half a second.

_Theta! _

It was unmistakably Aliya, though why wouldn't she just have sent back a hypercube? The Doctor sighed and shook his head, unsure, before a huge smile appeared back on his face. Before he knew it, he was kissing River with triumph and laughing like a giddy school boy.

"She's alive, River! I felt her. Just for a second, but that's enough!" Soon she was grinning with relief alongside him. "Let's go get her!"

Unfortunately, his joy was not fated to last for long. Upon relating to the Commander that he knew that Aliya had survived, it was deducted from known missing bodies that a group of prisoners had been taken by the Eastern troops, presumably to the nearest East camp, a castle that the Eastern army had stolen from the family of nobility who once lived there, slaughtering them and turning their home into one of their greatest fortresses.

"So let's go, we'll lead a march and rescue them!" The Doctor said earnestly.

The Commander was quick to shake his head. "That fortress is guarded by at least a thousand soldiers. We're going to need to recruit from several other camps to avoid being massacred."

"How long will that take?" River asked, not looking pleased. "Because every hour that we wait, the chance of them being alive when we get there is smaller."

"To send the message out and give them time to organise themselves and travel the distance…about six days," Wirea's voice was colder than the Doctor or River had yet heard it, and both blanched at the estimate before launching into very verbal protests.

"Six days?!"

"She could easily be dead by then!"

"You're not the only one who has someone you care about being held prisoner, stop acting as though the entire world revolves around the three of you!" Wirea snapped angrily, and the Doctor and River both backed off a little, shocked. "This is our war, our people. Do _not _prioritise one person over an entire army. We are going to do everything that we can possibly do. Cuff them." Before they could comprehend it, the time-travellers were bound to a soldier each. "We can't have you hindering us or doing anything foolish such as trying to go to the fortress yourself. So stay put and your friend will be rescued as soon as possible."

The Doctor and River exchanged a frustrated look but grudgingly accepted that the Second was right, in a way. And so they prepared themselves for what would be a very long six days.

* * *

The light hadn't last long. Only two hours, and as the light had faded she had burst into tears. The wrong kind, this time. She had clung to the cube as its light dimmed and reached her mind out to the fragment of the Doctor's in it, clinging as much as she could to the one person she could rely on. The person who would save her.

* * *

Aliya really had lost track of the time. All she knew was that she was crying and she had been crying and wasn't likely to stop for a while yet. Around her, the Ventorian men and women complained of needing water. She supposed she was thirsty, but not enough to bother her.

Two of the men were having a conversation, but only a small part of her was listening.

"Do you think we'll die here?"

"I've lived through worse. Wirea was with me then, though."

"You're a strange couple, Felin, but a good pair for sure."

"She's brave and strong. How couldn't I love her?"

"Most of us think she's cold and unfeeling."

"You're wrong."

"You must see something else in her."

"I see many things in her, but the thing I know for sure if that we both survive this war, that woman's going to be my mate."

There was a laugh from the other man. "She doesn't want to be anyone's mate."

"She'll come around eventually."

Aliya had to stop listening then, and vent all of her concentration back into not screaming, bring her jaw up on the strap until her mouth hurt. Even with Kril next to her, still holding her arm, she felt alone in the darkness, so damned alone…

* * *

Apparently two days had passed, and the dehydration had gotten to very bad levels. According to what they were saying around her, the Ventorian's lips and mouths were dry, and most seemed very drowsy and not up to much talking. Although Aliya was experiencing much less heightened symptoms that were similar, she still had enough water in her body to be letting tears continue to stream down her face, which seemed ridiculous.

"I'm sleepy but I can't sleep," Kril whispered, his voice croaking, leaning his head on her shoulder. She couldn't bring herself to reply, she just buried her face back in her knees and continued to wail as the fingers of darkness closed their fingers tighter and tighter around her hearts.

* * *

After two more days of listening to moaning from painful headaches, and the sound of some of the Ventorians having seizures, Aliya felt her hearts aching to try and help them but knew that she could do nothing. So she shut out the noise of their suffering and tried to forget that people were dying around her.

"Kril," She managed to whisper, "Please – hang on." His hand twitched against hers as if he was trying to comfort her, but couldn't control his muscles. "For me. And Sera."

Kril died later that day, in what she guessed was night time, as the cold crept back into the room. She was sure that he was the last to go, as she couldn't hear anyone else. Aliya had felt the life ebb out of him as his body leant against hers, and the tiny grip he had had on her arm had released. His heartbeat came to a halt along with his breathing, and when she realised the fate of her friend, she felt the grief and shock seize up in her chest. But when they came to come out, she too had lost too much fluid to be able to spare tears for crying. Instead she coughed out dry, broken sobs as it dawned on her that she was the only alive person left in the cellar, surrounded by dead bodies. Now that she was truly alone, the dark properly seized her and slowly began to steal away what was left of her resilience and sanity.

* * *

By the end of the fifth day, Kril's body had gone stone cold against her, and the other corpses were beginning to fill the room with a stench that made her want to gag. Her throat was too dry, however, and she just choked on the taste of bile in her mouth before coughing violently.

Had she been strong once? She could barely remember what it like to feel anything but the hell she was in at that moment.

Where was the Doctor? Hadn't he promised to find her? What if he didn't? What if they had attempted a rescue and failed?

She had to believe that he would. He saved her once from the darkness, so he would again. But why was he taking so long? Shouldn't he have been there by now?

She couldn't even sing to make herself feel marginally better, as the dehydration was creeping up on her too and leaving her almost entirely without a voice.

* * *

Perhaps she would die in the cellar. She'd refused to believe it before, but now it seemed like a possibility. Her muscles felt like lead from not moving for five days and her wrists and ankles were so bruised and raw from the ropes around them that she knew that even if the door to the cellar was left open, she physically wouldn't be able to move.

So Aliya clung to the hypercube tighter than ever and reached out with her mind once again to the Doctor's mind inside, the tiny part of him that could comfort her, remind of her faith in him.

He would rescue her. He had to. He always did.

* * *

It had been the longest week of the Doctor's life. Not only was he unable to roam freely due to being handcuffed to a soldier, he wasn't even with River all the time because her soldier occasionally had to go to different places. And then of course there was the horrible nagging voice in his head telling him that Aliya could easily have been killed while the Western army had been planning their attack.

But finally, all the other troops had arrived and they were getting ready to ride to the East fortress.

It felt good to be out of the handcuffs, and when he said so to River, she had merely smirked and said that it hadn't been his view a week previous. When he had blushed like a teenage girl, she had laughed, looking pleased with herself.

* * *

"River, I need you to do something for me."

"Alright. What?"

"I need you to go and get the TARDIS so that you can bring it to the fortress. She might be injured or-" He stopped, looking at the ground for a moment as he swallowed the word. "Either way, she's probably going to need to get into the TARDIS as quickly as possible."

"Sweetie, without being rude, I'd probably be more likely to get through a battle to get to her, perhaps you should be the one to fetch it-"

The Doctor cut her off. "No, I'm the one who will be able to find her, I should be able to sense her once I get close, please, River…" His eyes met hers, his hand travelling up to touch her face, "Just do this for me. Trust me."

River smiled. "Always, sweetie."

The corner of his lips twitched as his eyes watched her with adoration. "Thank you, River." He kissed her slowly and deeply. "You'd better get going, it's going to be a bit of a walk, and they won't be able to spare any hovercrafts." She nodded and began to walk off. "Be careful!"

"I'm always careful, my love!" She laughed.

"No, you're not!"

"More fun that way!"

* * *

The ride to the fortress went very quickly. He had to listen to every word that the Camp 4 Commander told the soldiers and himself. He had recommended that the Doctor go with the group that were going to slip until the fortress itself to attempt to take it from the inside out.

It had all blurred together for the Doctor until the battle started. Amongst the haze of fighting and death, he was glad to be following the stealthy group of soldiers around the back.

Wirea was leading the group, and she used an explosive to create an opening in the ground floor of the castle for the hundred soldiers to get through. The Doctor scurried in after them. While many were sent to the upper levels, the Doctor stayed with Wirea, who was leading a group of twenty through the ground level in search of anyone in control, and in search of the prisoners who had been taken.

"Doctor, you claimed before that you would sense your friend, that you knew that she was alive," Wirea said, and there was a strange hint of desperation in her voice, "Can you sense where she is?"

"Well, usually prisoners are put in a dungeon or basement or cellar…but I might be able to get an idea," The Doctor admitted. Concentrating, he brought his fingers to his temples and reached out with his mind, searching for that hint of her. Instead, he got a flicker of his own physic presence…the hypercube. There was something else around it, and it felt like – Aliya. It felt like the voice that had called to him across galaxies to be rescued from a void. "I think I might have found them, I'm not sure." With that he ran off, following the trail to his own hypercube.

Unfortunately, some Eastern troops got in their way and the Doctor chose to hang back while the West took care of them, knowing that he would be more of a hindrance than a help anyway. But then a downwards staircase was revealed which they piled down. After a few more turns, there was a door with a built in barred window. A soldier with a strong build for a Ventorian knocked it down with a hammer-like weapon, and the Doctor burst in, followed by Wirea. Both were holding portable lights that immediately brought some light into the pitch black room.

"Felin!" The Second cried, rushing over to the man in question immediately.

"W-Wirea…" He murmured in horribly weak and croaky voice.

"Don't talk, you're alive, that's all that matters."

"Barely."

"All the more reason for you to shut up. Let me get you out." Wirea scooped up his frail body into her arms, which were easily strong enough to carry him. "Check if any of the others are alive." Two of the other soldiers were quick to push past the Doctor and carry out her orders, but the Time Lord paid them no notice.

Aliya was curled in the corner, paler than he had ever seen her in this regeneration, a young dead Ventorian leaning against her left shoulder. The hypercube was clutched in her hands, and she appeared to be asleep, but definitely breathing.

"Aliya!" As he came closer, it became apparent that she had actually been squeezing her eyes shut, because they slowly cracked open to stare blankly at him with only a flicker of recognition.

"Doc-" Her voice broke and her dried out lips pursed together.

"I'm going to get you out, Aliya, I promise," He said quietly, and tugged on the ropes binding her wrists. She let out a grating scream and when he looked, he saw that the skin underneath had been completely rubbed raw, left a shiny, horrid red. Instead, he scooped her up in his arms, cradling her shaking body against his chest, noting just how cold she was. He followed Wirea and her charge out past the soldiers, both having already realised that dehydration was the problem and that they needed to get water into them immediately.

Aliya's fingers had grabbed onto his shirt and refused to let go, and she seemed to be crying, though no tears fell from her eyes. His arms tightened around her, pulling her closer to him, and he dropped a reassuring kiss onto her forehead.

"It's alright, River will be here soon, you're safe…" The only answer he got was a whimper but it was better than nothing.

Sure enough, less than a minute later the sound of the grinding TARDIS brakes was echoing through the room. When the blue box appeared the Doctor walked into it as quickly as he could. As he carried the Time Lady up to the console platform, River gasped. The sight wasn't a pleasant one. Aliya's face was gaunt and pale, streaked with tears long since dried up. Her eyes were partially open but staring forward at nothing in particular as if she couldn't recognise anything around her.

"What can I do?" The archaeologist's voice was flat. She knew that he would need her help and no questions just yet.

"Bring some water to the infirmary, quickly," He answered, sparing her a grateful look before he took off up the stairs to get there himself.

* * *

Five minutes later, Aliya was laid on the infirmary bed, and the Doctor was cutting through the ropes, trying to disregard the noises of pain coming from his patient. River came in then with a large sipper bottle of water.

"Should I just give it to her to drink?" She worriedly inquired as she came to stand at the bedside of her friend. For a moment, Aliya's eyes seemed to flick to her.

"Just give her a few sips, then she needs to have the ORS to balance her replacement electrolytes."

"So Time Lords suffer from dehydration in a similar way to humans, then," River noted.

"Virtually, only it takes longer for it to affect us," The Doctor said offhandedly as he delicately dubbed ointment on the broken skin at Aliya's wrists. He then moved to her ankles, removing her converse and socks.

River put the sipper bottle to the other woman's lips and sighed with relief when the other woman slowly took a couple of sips, wincing from the pain of the Doctor's administrations. "It's okay, sweetie, we've got you."

The Doctor then came back to stand at the head of the bed, replacing the sipper bottle with a different, more professional looking one. He shifted Aliya so that she was leaning against him as he held the bottle to her lips and let her drink from it at her own pace. Once she had had enough, he took the bottle away and went to gently lay her back down on the bed, only to for her to cling to him.

"Aliya, you need to let go of me," He said gently, but she shook her head and leant her head back against his chest, hands fisting in his shirt. He looked up at River and sighed. "River, can you go to the lab and find her spare bottle of sleeping pills?" As his wife left, he looked down at his best friend, who had started crying again. Not seeing how he had much of another option, he began speaking to her in Gallifreyan. "_Aliya, you're safe. I'm here and I'm not going to let anything happen to you. You're not in the dark here, it's nice and light. Nothing can hurt you here._" The words seemed to help her, and a tiny smile appeared on her face for less than a second. He shifted so that he was sitting on the bed, and brought her head down to rest back on his shoulder, her fragile form curling up in his arms.

When River came in, it was a strange sight to see. "She looks like a child," She said softly, pity and affection in her eyes. "A hurt child who's just seen the monster under her bed."

"She had to live through her worst fear for six days, alone," The Doctor replied, expression unreadable, "It's not surprising that she's in shock. She's still shaking."

The pills were offered to him and he took three from River's outstretched hand. Gently, he pressed the first to Aliya's dry lips and smiled when she took it into her mouth, and did the same with the two that followed. Then he let her have a few more sips from the bottle of water, and by then the Time Lady was in a deep sleep likely to last at least an entire 24 hours. He eased her jacket off her and laid her on the infirmary bed. Just like the child that River had compared her to, she subconsciously snuggled against the plain white pillow and sheets.

"Will she be alright?" River watched with concern and the Doctor looked up.

"She'll be fine, she just needs to sleep it off," He smiled, "Though she might be a bit…off…for a few days, I'm not sure, we'll have to see."

The relief in River's eyes was obvious. "Thank goodness. I've never seen you so worried."

The Doctor just grinned and dragged her by the hand out of the room, practically bouncing now that the danger had passed. "River Song, how can I thank you for being incredible?"

"Well…" River swiftly undid his bowtie and used the two ends of it to pull him closer. "I'm sure you'll think of something."

"I'll race you to the bedroom," He said in a low voice, a smirk on his lips. Grandly, she let go of his bowtie and ran off down the corridor only for him to pursue her.

Their laughter ran through the halls of the TARDIS.

* * *

28 hours later, Aliyanadevoralundar woke in the infirmary with a throbbing headache and dry mouth. Spying a pink sipper bottle on a nearby counter, she slowly got out of the bed and walked over to it. It wasn't easy. Her muscles were heavy and sore, protesting with every move she made, but she clenched her teeth and ignored it. The water helped as she gulped it down.

"Doctor?" She winced, it hurt to talk and her voice was horribly distorted. Instead she settled for slowly walking out of the infirmary. She could hear voices coming from the console room, and made her way there at a snail's pace. When she finally got to the top of the stairs, both of her friends looked up at her with large smiles on their faces.

"_Hello sweetie," _River greeted in almost perfect Gallifreyan, and Aliya blinked tiredly.

"_Hello. How…?" _ Even though Gallifreyan was easier on her throat, the pain was still a bit much and she trailed off.

"_I've been teaching her. She's picking it up quite fast, actually, for a human," _ The Doctor explained, "_Not that I'm surprised, she IS brilliant." _

Aliya merely nodded, and River looked pleased, having understood enough of her husband's words to get the compliment out of it.

"_Thank you, sweetie," _ She said with a grin before looking back to Aliya and switching back to English. "Are you alright?"

Shrugging, Aliya made her way down the stairs. Once she got there she looked between the two of them and then walked into River's arms, letting herself be hugged by the human woman.

"I feel all strange," She mumbled into River's shoulder.

"I'm not surprised," River rubbed her back soothingly and shot the Doctor a 'stop being so petty' look upon seeing how put out he seemed at being the one not getting a hug. "Why don't we go for a swim to ease those muscles back into working? You're very stiff."

"Could we just walk there and put our feet in the pool?"

"Of course, sweetie."

* * *

The two women sat with their jeans rolled up and their feet dangling in the main pool of the pool room.

"I know why you picked this room."

Aliya slowly turned her head towards her friend. "Oh?"

"It's because it's so light. There's not a trace of darkness in here, it's all pearly," River said, not guessing but stating.

"You know me a lot better than I realise, River," Aliya answered softly, "I'm starting to wonder what I'd do without you."

"I'm only ever going to be a phone call away, sweetie."

Tears pricked at Aliya's eyes as she looked back at River. "Of course you will," She tried to make herself believe what she knew wasn't true.

"Oh sweetie, what's wrong?" River reached out to touch her shoulder, and Aliya met her eyes.

"_Everything," _She whispered hopelessly in Gallifreyan before burying her face in her knees and letting the tears fall. River wrapped her arms around the Time Lady and just let her get everything out of her system. The Doctor had warned her that after traumatic experiences and prolonged time sleeping Time Lords often experienced intense mood swings and heightened emotions, that Aliya was likely to have an emotional breakdown, or an aggressive bout of anger, or both. They just had to let it run its course.

Meanwhile, Aliya could feel a growing weight in her gut, and had a feeling that something was very, very wrong.

* * *

**So...what did you all think of that? Let me know in a review! **

**Let's just say that something that quite a few of you have been waiting for will happen next chapter, something inevitable which will make the current situation impossible to sustain forever...can you guess? Probably, LOL... ;) **

**Love you all, hopefully I will be able to keep up these somewhat regular updates, and I'll see you next chapter! **

**-MayFairy :) **

****Anonymous Review Replies:

_aren - _thanks for your review! I'm glad you like my interpretation of Doctor/River even if you're not the biggest fan of it...and I'm also very happy to know that you like Doctor/Aliya, that's great! :)


	44. The Realisation

**Yet another instance of me not expecting to finish today, but it happened anyway! This chapter just sort of began to write itself, or I guess Aliya wrote herself...either way, this is a much awaited chapter, and I'm sure you'll all agree once you realise what this chapter is about! It's a bit of a gamechanger, for sure. **

**Firstly, thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter: loulouflowerpower, fanfreak4ever, whovian-halfbloods, Marmelatta, OptimisticLivvy, Caligo Origuu, AliasMarie, and ZackAttack96! You're all awesomesauce! **

**Now, this chapter is quite angst, and there are a LOT of Daliya feels, so I apologise in advance for that...also this chapter is definitely T in terms of sexual references/themes... **

**The song for this chapter is 'Gravity' by Sara Bareilles. :) **

* * *

_"Something always brings me back to you.  
It never takes too long.  
No matter what I say or do I'll still feel you here 'til the moment I'm gone."_

_..._

_"Set me free, leave me be. I don't want to fall another moment into your gravity.  
Here I am and I stand so tall, just the way I'm supposed to be."_

_- 'Gravity' by Sara Bareilles_

* * *

'I hate the way you talk to me,

and the way you cut your hair.

I hate the way you fly your ship,

I hate it when you stare.

I hate your bowtie that isn't cool,

and the way you read my mind.

I hate you so much it makes me sick,

it even makes me rhyme.

I hate the way you're always right,

I hate it when you lie.

I hate it when you make me laugh,

even worse when you make me cry.

I hate it when you're not around,

and the fact that you didn't call.

But mostly I hate the way I don't hate you,

not even close…

not even a little bit…

not even at all.'

- 'Ten Things I Hate About You' (with two altered lines)

* * *

_The night of Graduation. Their last._

_All of her thoughts were of the young man whose arms she was in, Theta Sigma, her best friend, the one she loved with all her heart._

_The one she had to let go of._

_But not tonight._

_She gripped him that much tighter and slid her hands across his smooth skin, pulling his head down to meet him in another tender, desperate kiss. Her hands twisted in his soft hair while his slid her underdress off her body._

_His eyes met hers and stared at her with untainted adoration and love, and she smiled and pressed a kiss to his jaw._

_All she could think of was the feeling of his skin against hers, of his body moving with her, of the unconditional love pouring through the small mental link they had been able to establish for a short time. And it was so perfect that she couldn't even bring herself to think about the fact that it would be the last time she would get to experience it._

* * *

Aliya woke, eyes still closed and mind fuzzy. One of her hands slid down her side, recalling Theta's touch happily while her other travelled to fiddle with her long blonde ringlets.

When the latter met only air her eyes snapped open and she sat up abruptly, looking over herself. When she scrambled to the mirror she found the familiar reflection of her eighth body standing opposite her, with short blonde hair and everything else she had known for almost a year now.

This time, her fingers pressed against her lips. She frowned. Of course she was in her eighth body, why had she been thinking otherwise? Why had that dream been so vivid?

"But why..." She trailed off. Slowly her eyes came back to lock with those of her reflection, but she merely shrugged and blinked several times to wake herself up. She gently pressed the heels of her palms into her eyes for a moment before lowering her hands. _What a strange thing to dream,_ the Time Lady thought before heading off to the wardrobe.

* * *

The day was spent in the swimming pool, or at least it was for the Doctor and River. Aliya waved off their offers to teach her how to swim and instead curled up by the poolside with a book about on Earth automobile mechanics for a bit of light reading.

Hours later, River bid them goodnight and left the two Time Lords alone for the first time since Aliya had woken up from the sleep he had put her into after her ordeal. Their eyes met over the table where they had been eating dinner.

"So, I don't think I ever said thank you," Aliya said, smiling.

"For dinner? No need, I love cooking, cooking is brilliant," He waved her off with a grin and she laughed.

"No, I meant for saving my life!" She shot him a significant look, and his expression brightened.

"Right, that," He shrugged, "I couldn't have you dying on me, who else is going to have any chance of beating me in chess or would play me while River's asleep?"

"Good to know that I mean so much to you," Aliya said dryly. The Doctor's eyes widened a bit and he backpedaled, looking guilty.

"No, that's not what I meant at all," He said, voice slightly softer than before, "You know that you're more than just someone to pass the time with."

"Yes, I do, but it's nice for you to actually say it," Aliya smiled, laughing a little.

The man across the corner of the table from her didn't seem so amused. "Really though, you don't think that you're unimportant, do you?"

The question threw the blonde woman a bit. "Well, no, but you are married to River so-"

"Just because I love River doesn't mean that I care about you any less, Aliya," He said bluntly, and grabbed her hand as their eyes locked. "Ali, you're my best friend. Always. And if you ever need me, I'm always going to be right here. Don't think that because I'm married now you matter any less."

A breath caught in Aliya's throat, her emotions still running a bit higher than usual. What he was saying was just so _nice_. "Permission to hug?"

"You don't need to ask permission," He smiled and got up from his chair before pulling her from hers and into a tight, comforting hug. "I've been meaning to give you a proper one of these since Ventora."

"Yeah, I think I needed a Doctor hug," She mumbled into his tweed jacket, and she felt his body shake as he laughed.

"A Doctor hug?" His voice was thoughtful.

"Well they're better than other hugs, you see." It was true. She was making no move away from him because he was soft and his arms were strong around her in a way that made her feel safe. Without thinking she deeply inhaled the scent of red grass and swaying mountains. The smell of Gallifrey. He just felt more right than the humans, not so hot. Instead his temperature matched hers perfectly.

"You should probably get some sleep too, you know," He suggested. She pulled away and shook her head with a grin.

"No, I think that you need to teach me how to play that Chinese checkers game you mentioned a while back, I need something else to beat you at."

"Not a chance. I'll teach you, but you won't win."

"I accept that challenge."

* * *

"He bet me at Chinese Checkers!"

River Song had to laugh at how utterly put out Aliya looked. The two of them were in one of the bathrooms, having decided to do nails and hair for some girl time.

"Sweetie, he is the smartest person in the universe, even if he acts like an idiot," The human reminded her friend with an amused grin, as she picked up the sky blue bottle of polish, beginning to brush it gently over the nails of Aliya's left hand.

"He's not _always _the smartest person in the universe," The alien woman muttered, "And just saying that probably made the entirety of Gallifreyan nobles turn over in their graves – they all thought he was one of the stupidest Time Lords to ever graduate from the Academy."

"I find it hard to believe that he could ever properly be considered stupid, even on Gallifrey," River lifted an eyebrow.

"Well, that's what none of them understood!" Aliya sighed. "They never really saw that while most of us had a simple academic intelligence, he had a very unique intelligence very different to what they wanted."

"I'm assuming that you did."

"Well yes, but that's because I'm me, River, I've always understood him better than everyone else," She shared a smirk with the other woman and lifted up her hands to admire her newly pained nails, "Oh thank you, River, they look wonderful!"

"The polish tastes bad too, it should stop you biting them," River snorted, and Aliya had to giggle at herself for a moment before sitting on the bathroom in front of where River was sitting in a chair, "Now let me do your hair as well."

"There isn't much you'll be able to do, considering the length."

"You'd be surprised, sweetie."

Seven and a half minutes later, Aliya was glancing at her two short braids over her shoulder and in her reflection in the mirror. She still had flyaway strands of hair framing her face, but the hairstyle otherwise took about five years off her physical appearance. She couldn't decide if that was interesting, amusing, or irritating.

She had to laugh at herself, though.

"I wish I could do your nails or your hair," Her apologetic tone caused River to shake her head, snorting with amusement.

"Sweetie, you'd never be able to manage my hair. And my nails are already done," She waggled her bright red nails in Aliya's face for a moment. "Now, do you want to practice Chinese Checkers with me so that you might be able to beat him next time?"

The Time Lady's face lit up with childish excitement that was only enhanced by her youthful hairstyle. "Oh yes please, River! I'd never be able to put up with his gloating if he beats me again."

"Oh, I know, don't you just want to slap him sometimes?"

"You know, you've said that to me before."

River just laughed. "Not yet, I haven't."

* * *

_She'd experienced desire before, of course. But not like this._

_This was more primitive than she ever thought she would be, she had never thought she would let him touch her again, or that either of them would want to…_

_Yet she was trapped between his body and the blank wall of his TARDIS console room, and the sensations filling her were so delicious and so unexpected that her brain wasn't functioning properly at all, the only thing she could comprehend was the heat stirring within her as his lips pressed against hers with urgency and his hands roamed across her body. She'd never thought he would be the dominating type, but this regeneration of his definitely was, and she knew that she should care, but she didn't…she could feel just how much he wanted her, and somehow it didn't seem to matter that it was wrong, irrational…because why would she ever put a stop to such an ambience?_

* * *

Sucking in deep breaths, Aliyanadevoralundar opened her eyes. She could still feel the phantom touches of the Doctor's fourth body all over her skin. The memories were stamped into her brain in a way that she couldn't ignore, and they hadn't even-

"No," She mumbled, "I don't want to remember that! I won't." She pulled up her knees to rest below her chin. "I won't." Her voice trembled for a reason she couldn't pinpoint and a frown began to settle on her face.

* * *

"You seem a little distracted today," River noted as she and Aliya strolled through the wardrobe in search of clothing that would be suitable for a trip to Tudor London.

"Do I?" Aliya's gaze wondered, her mind entirely on the clothes.

"Yes, sweetie." Before Aliya could reply she saw a familiar striped scarf of a horrendous length and froze. "Sweetie? What is it?"

She snapped out of it. "Nothing, I just…the Doctor used to wear this." Her hand stretched out to stroke it as River came over and had a look.

"Oh, yes, I recognise it from the picture in my diary," She remarked. Her friend nodded before turning her head and jumping a mile upon seeing a nearby white shirt. It was rather thin and made of white cotton, with a v-neck. "Do you recognise that too?"

There wasn't time to think before Aliya took another step back and shook her head quickly. "No, I-" She quickly fled the room, leaving a confused River Song in her wake. When she passed the Doctor in the corridors, he grabbed her by the arm upon realising her faster-than-usual speed.

"Where are you going?" He seemed to notice the distracted and somewhat stressed expression on her face and gripped her arm tighter. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just feel tired, I might sleep and let you two go to London by yourselves," She forced a smile.

"Aliya, you slept last night, there's no way you could be tired already."

The blonde shrugged and pulled out of his grip. "I just want to keep reading my book, okay?" Then she proceeded to walk away before he could answer.

When she finally got back to her room, she sank down onto her bed, mind racing. What were the chances of her coming across that shirt the day after she had had that dream of her memory of her encounter with the Doctor's scarf wearing body? And with River there? What was she supposed to say?

"Oh, it's nothing River, it's just that there was this one time on Gallifrey where we were somewhat forced to work together, and he ran around the entire time wearing that shirt and we ended up nearly having sex against the wall of his TARDIS console room," She muttered sarcastically before dropping her head into her lap exasperatedly. She could remember everything. The strange heat when he touched her, her hands fisting in that shirt and trying to push it up and off his body, feeling the rough skin underneath…

_No, not going there again! _Internally she yelled at herself.

To have one memory-dream of such a _private _encounter with the Doctor was to be expected sooner or later. But to have another one the immediate next night she slept? Was it that she was thinking about the Doctor a lot more recently? He was her best friend, it would be strange if she didn't. But why now? What had changed?

Unbidden, hazy memories swam into her mind's eyes, memories from that day when he had rescued her from that cellar. How glad she had been to see him, how she'd clung to him because she felt so safe in his arms…how days before she had reached out her mind to the one fragment of his in her hands, how his mind had become the one thing that willed her in any way to go on…

"This is too much," She whispered to herself, "I don't want to be thinking all this, it's confusing." _And perhaps I'll sleep it off, _her added thought was one of hope but she couldn't help considering it anyway.

So without further ado, she snatched the bottle of sleeping pills from her bedside table and took one without bothering to change into her pyjamas. She was asleep within a second of her head hitting the pillow.

* * *

"_What are you thinking right now?"_

_She stared at the man lying opposite her, the man she loved more than anything. Her young, blonde, gentle Doctor. A slow grin etched itself onto her face._

"_I'm thinking that I believe I made the best decision of my life today," She said, reaching out her pale hand to touch him. "We're free of them."_

"_And if they come after you?" He seemed more curious than worried, but that frowny face was there and she couldn't help but find it adorable._

"_Then we find a way to trick them," She swept her hand up to cup his face. "But you can show me the universe first."_

"_Now that I can definitely do," He smiled widely at her before leaning in to deeply kiss her. "But in the meantime while Tegan and Turlough are asleep?"_

_She found herself chuckling. "I'm sure you'll think of something." At that he kissed her again, rolling them so that he was on top of her, his hands on her bare skin once more…_

* * *

When she woke she immediately knew that over ten hours had passed. In theory, the Doctor and River would either be back from London or had gotten themselves into trouble and wouldn't be back for some time yet.

Either way, she knew what she needed to do. The dreams were disturbing her and becoming a mass annoyance; she didn't want to remember those details of her past and was determined to stop them from cropping up in her head again.

She pulled a warm cardigan on over her shirt and made for the library. She needed to do some research before she could attempt doing anything involving medical chemistry, that was for sure.

Hours later, she was pouring over several paragraphs of the book's passages while mixing a concoction that would in theory send her into a deep and dreamless sleep, one considerably more powerful than the one the Doctor had made for her.

"Changing career paths?"

Aliya jumped a mile and spun around to see the Doctor standing over by the door, watching her with intent curiosity.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

He shrugged in that blasé way of his as he took a few strides towards her. "Only that you seem to be going from temporal mechanic to mad scientist."

"Nope, just testing something," She replied mildly, and looked up before smiling unsurely. "And why mad?"

"Your hair, it's just a bit…"

When he trailed off her hands flew to her head. Upon feeling the fluffy mess that was her hair, she went pink and groaned slightly.

"I forgot about it, I've been so distracted, but dear lord _my hair…"_

The Doctor didn't bother to attempt to hold back his chuckle. "Does it always look like that in the mornings?"

Her eyes flicked down to the pills that were almost finished being manufactured. "Unfortunately. I feel as though this regeneration is determined to make me look ridiculous in any way that it can."

"Ridiculous is a bit strong," The Doctor said, "It's almost…" He trailed off as he tried to decide on the word he wished to use.

Aliya shot him an unamused glare. "If the next word that you say is any synonym of the word 'humorous', I will burn every bowtie you own."

He was quick to hold up his hands defensively, eyes light with slight amusement and fondness. "I was going to say cute." The sentence took her a little off guard and she quirked an eyebrow at him.

"I'm not some little bunny rabbit or Flubble," She muttered.

"Never said you were," He pointed out, and leaned over the workbench to inspect what she was doing, "Just as you never said what this actually is. You hate medical chemistry, and not only that, you're also _very _bad at it, you said so yourself."

"Well, you were busy being married and doing couple things with River, so I decided that if I wanted something done I would have to do it myself," Aliya mildly said. The machine in front of her beeped to signal the completion of its task, but before she could take the bowl of pills, the Doctor had snatched a couple and sniffed them.

"Sleeping pills, stronger ones…why? You can't have already run out," He looked at her inquiringly and she rolled her eyes for something to do and poured the pills into a white container before screwing the lid on.

"Bad dreams, don't worry about it," She tried to make for the door but he stepped into her path, not allowing her to pass. "Doctor, let me through."

"What sort of bad dreams?" When her head moved to face away from him, his hands grabbed her face and forced her to look into his eyes. "Aliya, tell me, what's wrong?"

For a moment she was silent, her mind absently considering how soft his hands were on her cheeks, and allowing herself to enjoy his touch and lean into it. But within a few seconds she snapped back to rationality and shoved him away from her.

"Nothing is wrong, I just need to stop dreaming, don't concern yourself with it," She snapped. Clutching the bottle of pills, she pushed past him and left the room.

_What's wrong with me? Why am I getting so distracted around him? _The thoughts and others like them circled in her head as she headed to the library to get some more books to read.

"Because you're having dreams of memories of him that make it pretty damn awkward, that's why," She murmured to herself as she began to establish a pile. Once she had the entire 'Series of Unfortunate Events' in her arms, she made to leave the library.

The sound of giggling emitted from the left fork in the corridor. When she turned to look, her cheeks went bright red upon seeing the trail of clothes and underwear that led off that way. It didn't take a genius – even if she was one – to figure out what the Doctor and River were doing. Mental pictures flew through her head and she tried to push them out as she took the right fork to avoid running into them in case they hadn't made it back to the bedroom.

"Would it really be so hard to just wait? To actually get somewhere private first?" Her mutterings continued as she entered her bedroom and slotted the books into her small bookshelf built into the wall.

Unwelcome and vivid images came flooding back to her mind's eye. _The Doctor and River, wrapped around each other, skin on skin, hands touching and lips kissing-_

"Urgh!" She pressed the heels of her palms back into her eyes, as if that would get rid of the incredibly private and disgusting thoughts.

_Disgusting? _She backpedalled through her own thoughts to the word. _Unwanted detail, yes, but not disgusting, there's no reason for it to be…only it is. Why?_

She had no good reason to find it so nauseating, yet once she'd thought it, she couldn't argue with the fact that she clearly did. And why did her stomach suddenly feel as though a hundred rocks were sitting in it? The two of them doing…that…was hardly anything new, she'd been making jokes with Jack about their honeymoon, for Rassilon's sake!

So why did it bother her now?

"Why, why _specifically _does it bother you?" She leant her head against the solid wood of the bookcase as she asked herself the question. Another set of images flashed through her head, but these were different than the first. This time it was herself in the Doctor's arms, she was the one being kissed and touched and adored by him, and her hands were on him, conveying her own affection for him right back.

Heat flooded to her cheeks, and it took her a moment to realise that one of her hands had been trailing across her stomach, absently stroking the skin there.

Abruptly she shoved herself away from the bookcase. "No!" Her fingers laced in her hair fretfully. "That's not – I don't-No. It's the dreams. The dreams are making me think like this, I'm remembering it so much that I think I want it. Well I _don't. _And damn it, Aliya, if you don't stop talking to yourself then so help me-" She clamped her hand over her mouth before she babble on to thin air any longer than she already had.

_I just need to sleep it off. With no dreams involving him. _Determinedly, she changed into her favourite sleeping t-shirt and light cotton shorts before taking two pills from the new bottle and swallowing them both at the same time.

The effect was so instantaneous that she hadn't time to climb into bed, instead her unconscious form fell across the top of the covers at a diagonal.

* * *

_She was sitting up in a bed, holding the covers to her chest. Her back was exposed but she could feel someone else's skin covering parts of it. A kiss was left on her right shoulder, and when she turned to look at the person who had planted it, the Doctor's youthful face grinned at her._

"_What are you thinking?" He asked curiously, his hand skimming down her arm._

_She shook her head and grinned back. "Nothing important." With that she pulled him in for a kiss. He broke away after a few seconds._

"_Well, fair enough, I do that a lot, just a minute ago I was thinking about flutterwings and how I was never very good at-" His voice trailed off and his brow crinkled into a frown as he realised that she was laughing at him. "What?"_

"_Do you ever realise just how mad you are?" She managed to get out in-between giggles. "I mean, delightfully so, but still stark raving mad-"_

_This time he kissed her, with obvious intent to shut her up, and it worked. His hands helped her turn around so that she was fully facing him. While one hand travelled up to tangle in her hair, the other cupped her cheek and deepened the kiss. She shifted so that she was in his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck so that she could pull them even closer together._

_Impatient as their owner, his hands came down to explore her back and -_

* * *

The pair of different coloured eyes snapped open while the woman that they belonged to tried to steady her erratic breathing. Now fully awake, she went to move, and ended up falling off the bed she had been lying across.

Aliya got up, cursing, and rubbed the areas of her skin that had hit the floor upon collision. But she had managed to take all of two steps away from the bed before the impact of her dream truly hit her, and she found herself crumbling to the floor with no resolve to get up.

"No, no, no, no, no…" She whispered. Her head keep shaking from side to side as if that would change anything, even though the small rational side still left in her knew that it would do nothing of the sort. "I'm not in love with him!"

Her head dropped so that her face was in her hands. Because by uttering the sentence of denial, it only made her realise just how much the opposite was true.

She was in love with him.

She loved him so deeply that it ached, that just thinking about him made her want to smile despite everything. Aliya loved everything from his stupid bowtie to the way that his eyes would light up with merriment when she made a joke. How he would smile at her when there was something that only they understood, some Time Lord custom or piece of knowledge, or some memory from their past that no one else could possibly know of.

How had she managed to convince herself for even a second that she didn't? Had she just buried her feelings so that they couldn't do much other than slowly grow, but deep down enough that she hadn't noticed? Why had they burst to the surface now, of all times?

_Ventora. _The answer swam into her head as she recalled how she had completely bared her mind to reach out to the fragment of the Doctor's in the hypercube, how all she had been able to think of was him, how he had saved her and held her so tightly in his arms…all her barriers had been smashed to a pulp and there was no fooling herself anymore.

_If you weren't so incompetent at medical chemistry, perhaps the pills would have worked and you wouldn't be in this situation! _Part of her brain scolded.

Another part seemed to take it upon itself to argue with the first. _This was inevitable, better that you realised sooner rather than later._

"But I don't want to love him!" It came to her attention that somewhere down the line she had started crying. "I can't, it's wrong, he's with River, he loves River, we've been over since before the Time War…and _who the hell am I talking to?!_" She held back an aggravated scream.

Just then, with timing as dismal as ever, someone knocked on her door. "Aliya? Are you in there?" It was the Doctor, and just hearing his voice sent her brain into a panic. She scrambled to her feet.

"Yeah, but don't come in!" She quickly answered.

"Why not?"

Before she could come up with a rational reply, a strange and bitter rage rose up in her chest, entirely focused on him. "Because it's my bloody room and I don't want you in here!"

"…why not?"

"I don't need a reason."

"Well, you sort of do…"

"Oh, how hard is it to just leave me alone?! Go shag River or something."

"_Aliya!_"

"I mean it, piss off!" Her yell seemed to work because she didn't get a reply, and the gravity of what she had said to him hit her. _Great job, Aliya, he was just checking on you, and you yell at him and tell him to do the one thing you wish he didn't do…_

Aliya found herself seizing the lamp on her desk and hurling it across the room. The satisfying crash it made as it shattered against the wall made her smile a little, and she threw her journal next. Before she knew what was happening, she was throwing and smashing whatever she could get her hands on, because in her confused haze of passionate emotions it _felt good _and it was a destruction she had control over.

What she wasn't prepared for was the door opening and the Doctor stepping into her bedroom. There was a moment's silence as he took in the disarray of broken and thrown possessions all over the floor, while she stared at him with silent shock. But it didn't take long before her face twisted with anger and a glass paperweight was hurtling towards his head. He only managed to duck just in time and cringed at the noise of the smash when it shattered against the door.

"You never left," It wasn't a question, and her eyes met his, voice flat.

"No, because obviously there's something wrong," He gestured to the debris on the floor, "And I think that you should tell me what."

_What's wrong, _Aliya thought, _is that I can't decide if I want to kill you or kiss you right now! _Instead of voicing that particular morsel of information, she just glared and made her way through the objects on the floor to sit on her bed.

It was all his fault. If he had not done anything, if they had kept their physical distance from one another, then maybe she would have had a chance. Maybe she could have convinced herself that Jack would be worth a try, that he was someone she would be able to spend a large part of her long life with.

But he'd kissed her.

In that one, panicked moment that they would both come to regret, when he thought that she was going to regenerate, he had kissed her and swiftly broken down any walls she might have succeeded in putting up.

Sure, for a while she had managed to convince herself that she didn't feel like that about him anymore, that all romance had left their relationship with the war. Just friends now, they had both said. She had been the one who assured him of that, and he had agreed, clearly relieved she felt the way he obviously also did.

It was all out the window now. He had ruined it.

The rational part of her mind was back to tell her that she couldn't exactly blame him for the kiss, that regeneration energy was basically a Time Lord aphrodisiac and that combined with his nostalgia meant that he wasn't to be held accountable for his actions.

But the other part, the one swimming in the turmoil of rage and passionate love, was screaming that he should have resisted, as he clearly had when she had regenerated in front of him and the Ponds, that everything was all his fault and always would be.

_But it's my fault too, _She thought, and her eyes flicked up to her best friend, the man who was still watching her with obvious concern, _I'm the one who's in love with someone I shouldn't be._

"_What part of 'get out' don't you understand?" _She snapped in Gallifreyan. He smiled at that, seeming to think it progress or something along those lines.

"_Do you really think that I'd leave my best friend when there's clearly something wrong with her?" _He took another step towards her, expression tender and eyes sincere.

"_Funny thing about my problems, Doctor…they're mine._"

"_I happen to disagree._"

"Well you're wrong! It's absolutely none of your business, why can't you just. Leave. Me. Alone?"

As Aliya switched back to English, a sudden excuse popped into her head, one that might just get him off her case and get her something she needed.

"Because that would make me a very bad friend," He answered, and she forced herself to relax a little.

"Okay, look," It was hard to even pretend to be calm, "I screwed up the pills."

His gaze darted down to the two different bottles of pills on her bedside table, practically the only two things in the room that had escaped her onslaught. "Do you mean the ones you were making yesterday?"

She nodded.

"Well, it's not surprising, you're terrible at medical chemistry, what in the universe possessed you to try and do this by yourself?"

"It was my business, I didn't want to bother you with it."

He sat on the bed next to her. "You really are ridiculous, you know. I would have been happy to help." His arm wound around her, and while her body and hearts told her to lean into him, to let him hold her, she somehow managed to resist and hit his advance away with her own arm before pointedly looking away from him, at the wall. There was another silence where she figured he was trying to work why she had spurned his friendly advance. Eventually he spoke again. "What exactly went wrong?"

"Well, I still dreamed, so the main point of them didn't work," That part was true, and Aliya had to smile to herself slightly at how much the next part might save her from his scrutiny and worry, "And they're just making me feel so angry and weird-" She choked on the lie but it only seemed to reinforce her story.

"That explains a lot, but you've still be acting strangely recently, Aliya-"

"Bad dreams, is all," She interrupted, turning to try and smile reassuringly at him, "If you could just make some pills that will actually get rid of them without any side effects, I should be fine in a few days."

He watched her for a few moments, evidently thinking deeply about whether she was right or telling the truth, but patted her on the knee and nodded. "Okay." Before she could argue or fight him off, he pulled her into a soft, comforting hug, and her resolve crumbled as she let herself sink into his embrace with a light sigh. His hands rubbed her back soothingly. "See, I bet that's better."

Stiffening, she leaned away. "What?"

"Rule number 22: Everyone needs a hug sometimes," He smiled and stood up, "I'll get onto it right away, I'll be back when they're ready, but it'll take a while."

"Okay," Aliya mumbled, casting her eyes to the floor. Because of this, she didn't see him leaning down before it was too late and his lips had already pressed themselves to her forehead. It felt as though they were searing her skin, even after he broke contact.

"I'll see you soon," He said before leaving. The moment he was gone, her barriers fell to the ground. Tears began streaming down her cheeks and the sobs caused her body to shake. Her hands wrapped around her torso and clutched at her sides as if trying to hold herself together, but her head drooped as she let the tears to fall onto her bare knees.

Five minutes later, she heard the door creak and snapped her head up to see River standing in the doorway.

"Oh my god, he wasn't kidding," The human woman said in slight disbelief as she took in the wrecked room before her, before her grey eyes fell onto her friend at the other end of it. "Oh sweetie."

Aliya sniffed loudly and tried to wipe at her wet eyes. "He sent you to check on me."

"Yes, because we're both worried about you," River confirmed. She kicked at the debris at her feet to get through to the other woman, and immediately yanked her up from where she was sitting and hugged her tight. "Now tell me what's wrong."

_I'm in love with your husband, _Aliya thought miserably as she rested her head on River's shoulder, _and I don't know how I'm going to be able to make this work._

Deciding against saying anything, she just gripped her friend tighter and let herself cry until there were no tears left.

* * *

It had taken a long time to convince River that she was alright and just needed some time to herself, but eventually Aliya was alone again. She cast her eyes around the room and they came to settle on the only thing in the room that had managed to avoid her rampage other than the bottles of pills.

The simple photo frame was the only thing left on the desk, and the mahogany surrounded a beautiful picture of the Doctor, River, and herself, in Barcelona, Earth Barcelona with sun and happiness all around them. All three of them were grinning, River had her arms around both of the Time Lords, and Aliya could remember how blindingly happy she had felt even as they had asked a random stranger to take a picture of them all. Without thinking, her finger drifted over the Doctor's face, and she smiled sadly as it dawned on her that with her new realisation, the three of them would never be able to have such a moment again, not with all of them as happy as they had once been. Because just thinking about the Doctor and River, and how happy they were together, made her hearts break all over again.

How would she be able to even look River in the eye?

Her hand shook as she placed the frame back on the desk and she tried to fight back the tears that were threatening to restart. She needed to be strong. So that's what she was going to be.

* * *

**So...yeah...Aliya's realised how much she was kidding herself and shizz kind of has hit the fan a bit, now...**

**Not sure when I will be able to get the next chapter up, as I have exams over the next month, so you guys are just going to have to wait about three weeks, okay? I should be able to get around to it after that...**

**Leave me a review and let me know what you thought, especially just as this chapter is so...important, you know? (Spirit-of-the-Rain, I am talking about you :P) My review counts have been dropping lately and it makes me sad! **

**Okay, love you guys, hope to hear from you! **

**-MayFairy :) **


	45. The First Crack In The Trio

**So, thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter (random note to point out that we are currently on 777 reviews which is pretty cool :P) : loulouflowerpower, OptimisticLivvy, Velvetpru'd, Spirit-of-the-Rain (I told you I'd get it done today!), Guest, Sylva Drax, Mrs. 11th, AliasMarie, ZackAttack96, Guest, Marmelatta, MaluTyler, and GleekStarkid! Also thanks to alovethatwillneverbe, for reviewing for the first time!**

**All 10 of you are awesome, love you guys!**

**So this chapter sort of continues on from the last with Aliya in a pretty sucky situation...so there's quite a bit of angst here, but some fluff and humour too, because guess who's back? You'll find out partway through the chapter! Enjoy! :)**

**NOTE: I've made an alteration to the Torchwood canon because of reasons. Reasons being that I disagreed with it. I'm sure that all of you will approve of the change though. ;) And there's an OC added to the Torchwood team as well, because they still needed a doctor. **

* * *

_Please don't stand so close to me  
I'm having trouble breathing  
I'm afraid of what you'll see right now  
I give you everything I am  
All my broken heart beats  
Until I know you'll understand_

And I will make sure to keep my distance  
Say, "I love you," when you're not listening  
And how long can we keep this up, up, up?

**Distance - Christina Perri**

* * *

_Time since previous entry: approx. 5 days._

_So…things are better now. The Doctor made me some new pills, ones that actually work and keep the dreams away. And while they are doing nothing for the current situation I'm in, at least the dreams aren't making it even worse than it already is._

_I'm sort of okay. I think. The Doctor's been hovering about in that overprotective way of his, which as one might be able to imagine is the opposite of helpful, but I'm not the emotional wreck I was five days ago._

_But it's hard. Seeing them together constantly. The reason is obvious enough, but what makes it harder is that I don't know what I would rather be happening! What I mean is, I love him. It becomes more plain every day just how much, and believe me, it hurts. But he loves River, and I love River (albeit in a rather different way), and I would never want to separate them, I could never bear to hurt them like that…_

_Yet I find myself wishing to be in her place, and dear Rassilon, I'm jealous! Not envious, but jealous, and I feel terrible for even that._

_There's literally no solution I can see that works out for all of us, and since I'm the one with the problem, well. I've sort of realised that the only way out of this that is going to in any way work, is for me to leave. Probably to work at Torchwood for Jack for a while, like I promised._

_I'm not going to leave yet, though. As tough as it's almost definitely going to be to ride this out, the Doctor is so eager for the three of us to travel together a bit longer before River finally gets herself back to prison and the two of them go back to being non-linear again. Part of me is surprised that she's stayed this long, she's always been so adamant in the past. Being still rather newly married does that to a person, I suppose._

_So, in conclusion, yes, I'm planning to leave. But I'm going to stay as long as I can. And who knows? Maybe it won't be so bad, maybe I'll find a way to live through it and be able to actually stay somewhat permanently?_

_There isn't much to do but wait. I'll write again soon._

_Aliya_

The Time Lady put the pen down and closed her journal with a sigh before running her fingers through her hair tiredly. It had been a long five days, but it was definitely getting easier.

She had barely gotten out of the desk chair before River leaned her head into the bedroom.

"Sweetie, the Doctor's getting antsy, apparently it's an eight minute walk and the eclipse is in eleven minutes."

"Well it's a good thing that I'm ready to go, then, isn't it?" Aliya grabbed her jacket off her bed and pulled it on before joining her friend.

* * *

A week passed and the three of them were having breakfast together. The Doctor and River had together cooked up a large fried breakfast, which Aliya had found delicious, though avoided the bacon and sausage, much to the Doctor's chagrin and River's disbelief.

"You're really not going to have any," The former said, lifting an eyebrow.

"I'm really not," His friend replied flatly, and contently put a spoonful of scrambled egg into her mouth.

"Just because we didn't eat meat on Gallifrey doesn't mean you can't eat it now!"

She rolled her eyes at him. "There's no _can't_, I'm perfectly physically and morally able to eat it, I just don't want to. It's not my fault that I believe myself above feasting on the cooked flesh of animals."

"You two and your superiority complexes," River chuckled, "Did I ever tell you how interesting it is to see how they come out in very different ways?"

"Call me a traditionalist," Aliya wryly said, "And him an egotistical radical."

The Doctor opened his mouth to retort before shutting it, apparently deciding there to be enough truth in her words for it not to be worth the effort. Instead, he took another piece of bacon and pointedly munched on it, keeping his eyes locked with Aliya's. After a few seconds of watching him, she shook her head and went back to focusing on her own food. While he couldn't be sure, he thought he caught the word 'immature' amongst her mumblings to herself.

Once she'd finished and moved from the dining area to the kitchen they were in to clean her plate, Aliya saw over the countertop that they were playfully arguing over the last sausage. Clearly they were far more interested in winning the argument rather than to take the logical course of action and just half the damned thing. But as their faces got closer and closer together and the flirting intensified along with River's grin, Aliya found herself gripping the counter much harder than was necessary and decided that was her cue to leave them to it.

As several times before, she didn't even think that they noticed her leave.

* * *

River found herself talking to Marie Antoinette of all people as the ball in Versailles continued swimmingly. It was back before she was Queen and River found her to be far from the horribly vain diva that the history books made her out to be, Marie Antoinette - in her youth at least - was an intelligent and rather charming young woman. However, from the conversations that they had held regarding the affairs of the country and people, it was rather plain that she didn't really understand how a country was to be run.

"So if the man is your husband, then how does she fit into your entourage?" Marie inquired, and River looked to where the Doctor and Aliya were dancing, both dressed in fine clothes of the era just as River herself was. Both seemed to be laughing and having a glorious time.

"She's a friend who travels with us," The archeologist answered.

"A _very_ good friend, I am sure, to _both_ of you," There was something in the Princess's voice that made River glance at her.

"Are you insinuating what I think you are?"

A strange smile played on Marie's lips. "There's no need to be so coy, it's rather common here at court, you'd be surprised."

"But what gave you that idea in the first place?" River asked, a little confused, and followed Marie Antoinette's gaze over to the two dancing Time Lords.

"With the way she is looking at him?" The Princess lifted a delicate eyebrow. It was a somewhat valid point, Aliya was beaming at her dance partner, clearly very happy in that moment. "I have seen it before, enamoured women are not difficult to pick out."

Realizing that there seemed to be some truth in her words, River frowned ever so slightly before covering it up and just smirking. "Well, you're wrong. There's nothing going on between the three of us. You're seeing lifelong friendship at its best."

"If so, then it is a friendship of which I have never seen the like," Marie Antoinette commented.

"They're very unique, and I trust them both with my life. My marriage is entirely monogamous, believe me."

The Princess of France shrugged passively. "I will take your word for it, I was merely commenting on what I saw."

* * *

When she entered the library, it took Aliya a few minutes to work out that the sound she could hear was the heavy breathing of someone sleeping. Upon following it to its source, she found the Doctor, asleep on a couch, and her breath caught in her throat.

He looked so _young _when he was asleep. All the creases that often graced his forehead were smoothed away and he actually seemed peaceful, not tormented by the past like he was so much of the time these days. In that moment he reminded her so much of Theta Sigma, the youth of his first incarnation, the boy she had fallen in love with, her first and best friend.

An unexpected wave of love hit her then, and it made her hearts ache just to look at him. Things had been much simpler then, there had been no past or baggage, just them. Now they'd lived a thousand years since and were in a way only shadows of the teenagers they had once been.

But before she could ponder the past any further, something in the sleeping man changed. A frown appeared on his forehead and within a second his aura went from child to old man, suddenly appearing to have lived an eon. He became more and more distressed, and she realised that he must be having a nightmare. After a minute of deliberating, she roused him, knowing that it was much kinder to wake him from his nightmare than let him live through it.

"Theta!" She called him by accident, still thinking about how young he had seemed when she had found him.

The Doctor jolted awake and stared at her with aged and tired eyes. "River!" He said, before he blinked and realised that it wasn't his wife in front of him. "Where's River?"

"I think she's in your room," Aliya said, confused.

"Is she okay?"

"Of course." She realised that there were tears in his eyes and knelt down by the couch so that she could meet his eyes without leaning down. "Hey, she's fine, she's just fine." He nodded and rubbed at his eyes embarrassedly. "What was your dream about?"

"She was going to the Library, I was watching her die and-" He choked on his words. "It hurt so much." Aliya tried to reach out and touch his face, to comfort him or do _something_, but he shied away from her. "Just leave me alone please, Aliya. I just want to be alone."

She nodded and tried not to let his rejection affect her, because it was stupid, after all it was only to be expected that after having a nightmare about River's demise that the last person he would want to see was someone that _wasn't _River. When she got out to the hallway the whole thing did hit her no matter how hard she tried, and she felt tears running down her cheeks all the way back to her room.

It was always going to be River. Most of the time she had thought that she had accepted it, but times like this make her realise that it wasn't strictly too. River was his wife, she knew his _name_, she was perfect for him in every way…except that she was going to die and leave him heartbroken. Beyond heartbroken. If she knew the Doctor, probably a hollow shell.

It wasn't as if she really had much to offer compared to River anyway. Sure, the Time Lady thing was a good point in her favour, but being a Time Lord really wasn't all it was cracked up to be, and other than that…River was gorgeous and sexy and flirty and had as much of a knack for getting out of trouble as she did for getting into it. She had that incredible hair that she knew the Doctor just _adored _and she wasn't scared of anything, especially not something as stupid as the dark. River could actually protect the Doctor if he were to be attacked, and didn't need rescuing apart from when she chose to jump off buildings and out of spaceships.

She was _his _in a way that Aliya never quite was, and never would be.

* * *

The three travellers strode through the lower level markets of New New York, in the days before the city had shut down for decades. It was a fine day and the ensemble had needed to shed their jackets due to the heat.

As the trio walked past a stall full of strange devices, the different coloured eyes of the gooseberry of the group lit up.

"Oh my lord!" Aliya exclaimed, elated. "Is that a pianalaika?"

"Not likely, since we're not on Galli-"

"It is!" The blonde had ignored him and made a dash for the stall and picked up the aforementioned in her hands. It was a Gallifreyan musical instrument, one she had once had a particular fondness for. "Where did you get this?" She asked the vendor, who shrugged.

"Off some archaeologist called Summerfield from the 51st century, I think." Aliya realised that both River and the Doctor reacted to the name and lifted an eyebrow.

"Friend of mine back in my seventh and eighth bodies," The Doctor explained, "Apparently River met her too. Though why she would have one of these…" Something on the instrument caught his eye and he took it out of his friend's hands to examine it. "Well, that explains a lot, it's mine, I recognise the markings. She must have nicked it at some point."

"You'll still have to pay for it," The woman behind the stall said pointedly as she watched them. Aliya immediately looked at her best friend imploringly, and he sighed before digging in his pockets for some credits.

Five minutes later, they were walking away while Aliya happily turned the musical instrument over in her hands. It resembled a strange mix between a pan flute and a recorder, with holes along each of the attached pipes, which were open ended.

After a few experimental blows, the Time Lady launched into a song that was cheerful and energetic. The Doctor immediately rolled his eyes upon recognising it as the only one she could play well, her eternal favourite that he had become sick of centuries back. When it came to an end as they were on their way back to the TARDIS he took it from her hands before she could considering playing it again.

"My turn," He announced, before launching into a fully-fledged concerto, and Aliya huffed.

"Must you best me in _everything_?"

* * *

Later on when River had gone to bed, the two Time Lords sat together cross-legged on the floor of the music suite. The Doctor had offered to give her lessons on how to improve past her one song, and was teaching her a new one, that was very pretty but incredibly sad.

He played a line of the tune and then repeated it at a slower pace before passing it to the woman in front of him. Aliya hesitantly attempted to copy him, but only with partial accuracy. She cursed.

"Don't get so frustrated, you're hardly going to be perfect straight away," He told her gently, "Just try it again." She did, but only made a small improvement. "Alright, hold on." He moved so that instead of sitting opposite to her, he was next to her, and slightly behind.

"I don't understand how you sitting there is going to make any difference," Aliya said, and looked back at him with a furrowed brow. He merely gestured for her to try again, but she was so aware of him that her attempt worse than her first.

"No, look, you're holding it wrong, don't grip it so tightly, it's not going to run away from you," The Doctor pointed out, "Look, put it to your mouth again and just hold it there." She followed his instructions and barely had time to look back at him before his arms had stretched over her shoulder so that his hands could close around where hers were grasping the instrument. With the lightest of touches, he guided her fingers to where they were supposed to rest, and she watched their hands while fighting the temptation to look at him. He was far too close to her, if she did turn around, they would probably be practically –

She inhaled sharply as one of his thumbs brushed against the back of her right hand with a tenderness he probably hadn't meant to convey. He noticed her reaction.

"What?" He asked, and she shook her head ever so slightly.

"No, I just…" Her eyes ran over where he had positioned her hands to commit it to memory, "I think I get it now," The words came out as a whisper because she had made the mistake of turning her head to look at him and found his face to be inches from hers, all –wonderfully - stupid hair and dark green eyes regarding her with such an intense gaze that for a moment she forgot how to breathe.

A few seconds passed and it was impossible for her to tell what he was thinking, but she came to her senses and quickly turned her head back to play the tune again, this time with much more success.

_Did he have no concept of acceptable amounts of personal space? He's married for Time's sake!_

"That was much better!" He commended, and she could hear the smile in his voice without turning around to actually see it. Her cheeks were filled with a warmth that was almost undoubtedly more than just embarrassment. She wasn't sure if they had the colour to match but couldn't risk him seeing if they did.

"Er, yeah," Aliya mumbled, "Could you just play the whole thing for me? Slowly? I can probably commit most of it to memory and then just stay here and practice it."

The Doctor took the instrument when she held it out for him and shifted so that he was opposite her again. "While I do what?"

Keeping her eyes on his bowtie rather than his face, she shrugged nonchalantly. "You have a wife. Go be with her or something. Don't feel obligated to spend time with me."

"It's not an obligation, it's called friendship," He said pointedly, a strange hint of amusement in his tone as he pulled up her chin so that she wasn't avoiding his gaze, "I _like _spending time with you. You've been spending too much time as the third wheel lately."

"I'm always the third wheel," The blonde corrected, "It's to be expected when one travels with a married couple. I don't mind, really."

His hand stopped her when she tried to direct her face down to the floor again. "Well _I _mind."

"Your time is better spent with her," Aliya murmured, playing with her thumbs, "I mean, every second you spend with me is a second you didn't get to spend with her…and you can't pretend like you have an unlimited supply." When she looked back into his eyes, pain had entered them and he was visibly swallowing what was probably a lump in his throat. "Unlike her, I'm not going anywhere…except for Torchwood, I suppose, but even then I'll be just a few minutes away and-"

"When are you going?" The question wasn't what she had expected. Her eyes dropped from his again. Her thumbs became more interesting with every passing second.

"I don't know. Soon."

"Why?" When she opened her mouth to answer, he added, "And don't just say that you want to see Jack. I can tell that it's more than that."

"It's…it's hard to explain," She frowned, and he put down the pianalaika to grab one of her hands.

"Please try," He asked quietly, "I want to know why you're leaving me."

_Why did he have to say it like that? _She inwardly cursed.

"I just…I can't do this anymore," Upon seeing a reminiscing spark in his eyes, she had to laugh somewhat grimly at how much she was mirroring the words of her past self. "And yeah, I know it sounds familiar. It's not the monsters or the death. Just…I don't know, being the third wheel, knowing that you two only have so much time. She's my best friend in the universe, Doctor, besides you! And I know how she dies, where and when she will! I can barely look her in the eye anymore. I'm not a good liar." _Except as of late regarding you, _she mentally corrected. "But I think I'm just going to have to say goodbye to her and go to Earth for a bit."

The Doctor's eyes flashed with an emotion gone too quick to identify. "When you say goodbye-"

Aliya lifted her chin with determined eyes. "I mean that I don't want you to come back for me until she…well. Until she's-" Suddenly, she choked on tears she hadn't anticipated, "-gone."

"Aliya-"

"I mean it," Her eyes were wet and starry but the certainty was still there as she met his gaze, "She means a lot to me but she's your _wife_, and you love her more than anyone else in the universe. And I'll be damned if the _woman who knows your name _will be denied any minute of her precious time with you due to me being selfish and wanting that time with you. Either of you." She got up to leave the room, having changed her mind on staying to play, but his hand grabbed her arm and slowly brought her back down to the floor.

"Please don't go to Torchwood too soon," It sounded as though he was begging, and that alone was enough for her to listen.

"Why not?"

"Because River said that when you go to Torchwood, she's going to go back to prison, put us back on the scrambled timelines again," It was evident in his voice how much he hated the very idea of it. "If you really want to give us time, you'll give us the best kind – linear time – by staying."

Aliya wiped her eyes and smiled sadly. "Sorry. But it's not just about giving the two of you time, it's not just about you two…it's also for me. Because pretty soon I just won't be able to stay."

"Because of knowing that she's going to die?"

As she often did, she shrugged and found herself lying by omission. "Just…everything." _A large part of it being that I'm in love with you, you stupid insufferable man._

There was half a minute's silence before he spoke, his voice low and childlike. "Permission to hug?"

"I really don't need one."

"Maybe not, but I think I do," He smiled weakly at her when she glanced up at him with slight surprise. Before he could say anything else, she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him. His arms wound around her back and hugged her to him as he pressed his face into her hair. "Yep, definitely needed an Aliya hug."

"An Aliya hug?" She laughed, of all the reactions she could have had to the statement.

"What, so you're allowed to have Doctor hugs and I'm not allowed Aliya hugs?"

"It's just that, you're the Doctor, you give hugs to lots of people, it's sort of your specialty, it's not like I'm the only one who benefits from them, whereas I don't hug a lot of people, so-"

"Exactly. I'm probably the only person in the universe who truly needs them, but trust me when I say I do."

"Well…okay." _Why did you have to make this so goddamn hard for me? Is it impossible to keep you at a distance? _"Um, Doctor, you can let go now." _I don't mean it. You can hold on if you want. You're very nice to hug. Too nice really. Oh lord why haven't you let go yet?!_

Instead of letting go, he sighed. "But you're comfy," He sounded like a five year old and Aliya found herself wanting to laugh and cry at the same time.

"Well, so is River, come on," With a will she hadn't been sure she had, she pulled away from him and shoved the pianalaika back into his hands. "Now play the song." He did, and the heartbreakingly beautiful song did little to help her already fragile emotions. "Alright, now run along to your wife." Snatching the instrument, she shooed him until he had stood up and was heading for the door.

"Okay," He conceded, amused, "Good night Aliya."

Although she had intended to not look at him again, it proved too hard and their eyes met as she glanced up. "Good night, Doctor." He had been out of the room a minute when her barriers broke and tears started rolling down her cheeks. Her hand came up to cover her mouth as she shook slightly, eyes squeezing shut. "I can't do this," She whispered, shaking her head, "I've got to go."

Then she picked up the pianalaika and practiced the sad song until she forgot how to think about anything else.

* * *

Aliya hadn't been sure whether Torchwood would be in the TARDIS's phone directory, but Jack Harkness was, so she dialled up the number.

"_Doctor?"_

"Jack?"

"_Ali?"_

"Is this a direct line to you?"

"_Yep, only from the TARDIS. If you guys had to call Torchwood, think of all the questions my staff would ask. Too much work."_

"Right."

"_So what's up?"_

"I was wondering if…if I could come stay for a bit, like we talked about at the wedding reception."

"_You actually remember any of that with the amount you drank?"_

Aliya had to laugh, a proper laugh that was in no way harrowed by conflicting feelings like her usual ones were. "More than you would think, but there are some definite gaps too. But can I?"

"_Of course! Seriously, we could use an alien expert, they're in pretty short supply. None of them are as cute as you either."_

She grinned. "Well, it sounds like you have a job opening."

"_When can I expect you?"_

"With the Doctor's piloting? Who knows?"

He chuckled on the other end of the line. "_True. Also, we have this policy about employees wearing skirts no longer than mid-thigh-"_

"_Goodbye _Jack," She snorted, "See you soon. Oh wait, what should I bring?"

"_Well you can sleep here until we work something out, just some clothes and any personal stuff you want, we can take care of the rest really."_

"Okay, thanks."

" _Oh, and to get in, just use the invisible lift. My vortex manipulator scans everything around it, it's probably got your biological code in it somewhere, I'll make it so that when you step on the lift it will automatically bring you down. It's the stone with the perception filter on it."_

"Of course that will make it incredibly easy to spot," Aliya remarked drily.

"_You higher species are supposed to be good at spotting that sort of thing. See you soon, Alibear." _With that he hung up, and she shook her head, but was unable to keep the smile off her face.

* * *

Packing hadn't taken very long, she had simply picked some clothes and put them in a bigger-on-the-inside knapsack that the Doctor had made for her at one point, along with her journal, her sleeping pills, and the Barcelona photograph.

"That's probably about it," She murmured. Slowly, she put the bag on her back and made her way to the console room, where the Doctor and River happened to be. The former glanced up at her.

"Great, you're here, now we can get going, I was just telling River about this supernova three galaxies over that- " He spotted the knapsack and frowned. "Why is there a bag on your back?"

Aliya came down the stairs and sat on the jumpseat. "I'm going to Torchwood. Jack's expecting me."

Pain flickered across the Doctor's face while surprise crossed River's. The latter took a step towards her. "Does it have to be now? We could at least go and see the supernova."

"No," Aliya shook her head forcefully, "It has to be now, sorry."

"When you said soon, I didn't think you meant this soon," The Doctor gritted his teeth, seeming to be a little angry, "Did you even take in what I said at all? Or are you just so selfish that you don't-"

Aliya stood up, eyes narrowing. "Do _not _try and make this about you. Of course I remember what you said, and believe me when I say that I wish I could stay so that River will. But I am doing what I need to do for myself."

"We've had a version of this conversation before," He noted with an edge in his voice.

'_Don't you want to stay?'_

'_Of course! But I just can't. I want nothing more than to stay with you forever, but as much as I…I care for you, I have to do this for myself before it destroys me.'_

The conversation between his fifth body and her fourth echoed in their memories but only made the two of them more defiant.

"Yes, we have, and the outcome will be the same, I'm afraid," She said quietly, before looking at between him and River earnestly, "But please, I can't part on bad terms with either of you." The two Time Lords stared at each other for at least twenty seconds before the older one nodded reluctantly.

"I'll set the coordinates and get the TARDIS on its way to Torchwood," He said.

"Lock onto the last phone call to make sure we stay relative to it and don't arrive before I called him."

"So you're really going." River spoke for the first time since the argument between her friend and husband had nearly broken out.

Aliya looked at her friend sadly. "I really am. Sorry. I know that you said you were going to go back to prison when I left."

"I've stayed too long already, it was bound to happen."

The Time Lady immediately pulled River into a bone-crushing hug as she tried to not let herself cry even though it was going to be the last time she would ever see her. River couldn't see her cry, it would be too much of a spoiler. "I'm going to miss you. More than him."

"I doubt that."

"Really. You're not nearly as annoying as him. Not to mention, when you know that you're probably going to be stuck with someone for most of eternity, it makes it harder to tolerate them."

"True, I am easier to get along with," River admitted, grinning as the other blonde finally let her go and nodded.

"I love you, you know that, right?" Aliya said to her, and her eyes flicked to the Doctor as he was piloting the TARDIS to 21st century Cardiff. "Not in the same way that he does, but I do." This time River hugged her, realising that for whatever reason, it was quite a solid goodbye for her and the Time Lady clearly wasn't planning on seeing her for a long while.

"I love you too, sweetie," She said. They stayed like that until the Doctor cut in.

"We're here," He said, and Aliya sniffed loudly before letting go of his wife.

"You used the stabilisers and didn't leave the brakes on," She commented with a large frown.

He shrugged. "It didn't look like you wanted to be interrupted." His green eyes met her different coloured ones and no one said anything until suddenly they were hugging tightly.

"I _will_ miss you as well," Aliya said, "Just not as much_._" He laughed at that. "You know when to come get me." They slowly pulled apart, now solemn. "When you need me." Her voice was incredibly quiet but he heard her and made sure to nod.

Looking at River just lead to needing one last hug, and as she finally pulled back she placed a kiss on the other woman's cheek. "Goodbye, River." She whispered, and made for the door. With a strange, melancholy wave to the Doctor, she stepped out of the TARDIS and onto the Roald Dahl Pass, shutting the police box door behind her.

The need for control vanished along with the blue box and she let herself sob as the realisation that she would never see River again properly hit her.

* * *

Once she had composed herself, she ran her eyes over the area, and found herself blinking upon seeing one particular spot. She turned on her side and looked at it in the corner of her eye.

Perception filter. Just like had Jack said. Not a very good one, but it was probably tuned specifically to humans which would explain quite a bit.

Aliya walked over to the stone it was on and stepped onto it. When the stone started to sink down, she grinned. Once she had gone down a few metres, she could see the interior of the Torchwood Hub, and spotted three people staring up at her with shock on their faces, none of whom were Jack.

But one of them, a dark haired woman with a Welsh accent, did call for him at the same time as she pointed her gun at the new arrival. "Jack! Get in here now!"

Within a minute, Aliya was landing on the floor of the Hub and Jack had just run in, looking alarmed until his eyes landed on the blonde with a backpack.

"You know, I knew there was something I'd forgotten to do," He chuckled and she had to laugh with him.

"Jack, who the hell is this?" The Welsh woman demanded, and he went to answer, only to hesitate.

"Okay, give us twenty minutes," He said, and gestured for Aliya to follow him, "Step into my office."

"Sure," The Time Lady walked past the two other employees – another dark haired woman, and a black man who looked rather irritated by the way Jack was handling things.

"Hold on, World War Two-" He began to protest, speaking with an American accent, but Jack cut him off.

"Twenty minutes, Rex."

The ex-Time Agent led the alien up to his office, which since the rebuild was situated quite high in the hub, with glass windows that revealed practically everything to the world.

Jack shut the door behind them and immediately kissed her full on the lips as way of saying hello. "How have you been?" Before she could answer, he noticed the slight red around her eyes. "Have you been crying?"

"Yeah, but um," Aliya put her backpack on the large conference table in the office, "The thing is that as much as I think you're awesome, we really don't know each other that well. So…could you give me a week? A week for us to actually become proper friends who know a bit about each other? And then I will probably be okay to tell you what's up."

Jack nodded slowly, appearing to like the idea. "Good plan. Getting to know you sounds fun. I'm hoping for lots of scandalous alien sex stories."

"Well yes, but hopefully you will let me share my stories too," Aliya said wryly, and he heartily laughed. "It's really good to see you. I already feel better."

"I tend to have that effect."

"Seriously!" Aliya sat on the table. "It's like I can't be sad around you."

"Well you're welcome."

"So what's this twenty minutes for, exactly?"

Jack beckoned to her as he sat down at his computer. "Might be best to keep your alien status a secret for now. Gwen's talked the Doctor before, so she would probably be okay, but Marion, Esther and Rex are pretty new to it and definitely haven't had to work with aliens before. Let them get to know you first."

Aliya shrugged as she sat on the edge of the table. "I don't mind, you'd know better than me." She thought about the people she'd seen in the other room and frowned. "There were only three people out there. You said four names."

"Oh, Esther's running late, she was grabbing lunch, she'll be here soon," Jack explained as he opened up the Torchwood server and went into the staff section, "You'll like her, I think."

"So you're creating a profile for me?" She peered around to look at what he was doing.

"We're going to need a first and last name for you…we could keep the 'Ali' and make you Alison," Aliya wrinkled her nose at Jack's suggestion but eventually shrugged.

"Fine, if you must."

"Okay, what about last name? Smith?"

Again she blanched. "Nope. How about Holmes? I've been reading Arthur Conan Doyle."

"Alright, Alison Holmes it is…blonde hair, eyes: green-blue and indigo, allergies are…" He looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Aspirin, fatally so, but it can be fixed with chocolate if you're quick," She said, and he gave her a disbelieving look. "I'm deadly serious, Jack."

"Okay then…if we're say you're-" His eyes ran over her, "Twenty five years old…special notes: no blood samples to be taken. That'll do for now." He saved the profile before leaning back in his chair, satisfied.

"So how do people even start working for you? You can hardly advertise." Aliya got up and walked around the conference table so that she could look down at the Hub through the glass windows.

"Gwen was a cop who got suspicious and looked into it a bit too far, so now she's our police liaison. We picked up Esther and Rex when the world went nuts last year and everyone stopped dying."

The Time Lady turned around so fast that he was surprised she hadn't blurred. "What?"

He waved his hand. "Long story, I'll tell you some other time over several hard drinks. But basically along the way Esther got transfused with my blood – we almost did Rex but decided that they wouldn't expect Esther of doing anything important. And now she's somehow immortal like me. It hasn't really dawned on her yet, I think. She's only died the one time, but we're pretty sure it's permanent."

"But you were brought back by the Bad Wolf, weren't you? That seemed like it was a pretty one-off thing."

"Well it's happened to her too," Jack shrugged, and she reluctantly nodded and let it go, though wasn't happy about there being _another _immortal in the universe, as one was already too many.

"What about Marion?"

"Oh, we found her trying to take down a bunch of aliens by herself, they'd tried to jump her before we got there. When we found out she was a qualified doctor, it seemed like she'd be a good fifth member."

"They sound great, can I meet them?" Aliya asked earnestly.

"Sure, as soon as I get a proper hello, Alibear," Jack waggled his eyebrows flirtatiously.

"What, assaulting my lips the first time wasn't enough?"

"Can't I at least get a hug?"

"Fine."

He scooped her up and hugged her enthusiastically – and _very _tightly – and pulled away enough that he could dip his head down and steal another kiss, which she sunk into contently after a few seconds, her hand coming up to cup his face.

It was hard to deny that Jack was a fantastic kisser. When he let go, they grinned at each other and made for the door. When they got back down to the lower level, Gwen and Rex were quick to begin making protests again, while the other woman – who Aliya worked out must be Marion – stayed silent but watched the situation with interest.

"Okay, Gwen, Rex, Marion….I'd like you to meet the newest member of Torchwood Three," Jack said, gesturing to the woman behind him, who awkwardly waved and smiled.

"I'm sorry, what?" Gwen lifted an eyebrow. "Just like that?" The woman had freckles and pale skin, with a gap in her teeth that didn't in any way detract from her overall beauty. It was almost certain that usually her green eyes were quite lovely, but at the current moment they were annoyed.

"I've been expecting her for a couple of weeks, I just didn't know when she was going to arrive."

Gwen nodded with a sarcastic air about her. "And you didn't think it might be worth mentioning that a complete stranger was going to come down through the invisible lift to work with us."

"Like I said," Jack said, slightly irritated by that point, "Something I forgot to do."

"How do you know she's fit for the job?" Rex crossed his arms and regarded the new arrival with an expression on his face that made it quite obvious he wasn't remarkable impressed with the young-looking, t-shirt wearing woman. Aliya looked him over, and supposed that he was quite good looking even though he had no hair despite only looking about 5 to 10 years older than she did. Still, she wasn't too impressed with him either, yet.

"A mutual friend introduced us a while back," Jack explained, "Trust me when I say she's capable."

"Then are you going to introduce us all?" The four people standing all turned to look at the one seated person in the room, Marion. In Aliya's opinion, the woman was quite harsh-looking in a way that reminded her of her own third incarnation, but had a strange beauty to her all the same. Her hair was a similar style to her own, with eyes the same dark colour.

Jack nodded and stepped back to bring Aliya more into the line of their vision. "Everybody, meet Alison Holmes, our new alien expert. Ali, meet Gwen Cooper, Rex Matheson, and Marion Narke." Marion made a small wave/salute action before going back to her work, while Gwen and Rex exchanged a look.

"Alien expert," The latter said sceptically, "Her."

"Me," Aliya affirmed haughtily, lifting her chin and wishing she'd worn shoes that would have made her a bit taller.

"I'll believe it when I see it," He turned and went back to his station. Gwen meanwhile seemed undecided.

"Gwen," Jack said pointedly, "Trust me. She's worth her weight in gold." Aliya made a 'pft' noise. "Okay, so maybe her value shouldn't exactly be summed up by material objects."

"I'd like to think not," The blonde snorted.

After a few moments Gwen nodded. "Alright, I do trust you, you'd hardly bring in a lunatic. Just try to give us some warning next time, Jack!" She scolded, before turning to Aliya and finally smiling. "Sorry about all that, but imagine what it's like for me."

"To have a stranger enter your secret base and then be told that she's joining the team? I can imagine," Aliya chuckled and shook the human woman's hand when she offered it.

"Great, now, Ali, you're lucky that we happened to build in a couple more workstations than in the original design…the free one over by Marion can be yours," Jack showed it to her, and she smiled gratefully as she touched the desk.

"Thanks," she said, beaming, "This should be fun." He spent the next twenty minutes showing her how to log into the server and access everything that she would need.

The rather disruptive opening sound of the large circular door from the front office passage interrupted all of them. Jack looked up and grinned at the last member of the team, Esther Drummond.

"Esther!" He called cheerily. "Do you like surprises?"

"We've got a new team member," Marion remarked flatly, and Jack's face dropped a little.

"Spoilsport," He accused, "But yeah."

Esther smiled a little unsurely, but seemed open enough to the idea. "Okay."

"Ali, this is Esther Drummond, Esther, this is Alison Holmes," Jack introduced, and Esther spied the woman next to him who still had her head directed down at the desk.

"Hi, nice to meet you," The human woman greeted, with an accent that matched Rex's.

Aliya straightened up and opened her mouth to respond, but her reply dried up in her mouth as she took in the woman standing several metres away. Immediately her body stiffened and she blinked several times to be sure that she wasn't imagining what was in front of her.

"Um, sorry, I-" The Time Lady bolted from the room towards the only other place in the Hub she knew: Jack's office/the conference room.

"Did I do something?" Esther, worry etched onto her face, stared after where the other blonde had disappeared.

"I don't think so," Jack said, "I'll talk to her and find out."

* * *

"Ali?"

Aliya looked up from where she had been examining the patterns in the wood of the conference table and sank back into the comfortable leather of the seat she was sitting in.

"Sorry about that." She apologised, and ran a hand through her hair. "I didn't mean to react like that, but she took me by surprise."

"Right, the fixed point thing, you and the Doctor act so normal around me now that I forgot about it," Jack nodded and sat down opposite her, but then spotted a sheepish look on her face. "What?"

"That's only part of it, actually," She said quietly, "She looks exactly like someone I used to know. Intimately."

"Intimately?"

The blonde flushed a light pink. "Not like that. I mean…a past regeneration. She's an exact replica of what my first body looked like."

"Is that even possible?" Jack lifted an eyebrow only for her to quickly nod.

"Spacial genetic multiplicity," she explained, "It's an echo and repetition of physical traits across a time rift. More common than you would think, actually."

"So what, your first body regenerated on top of a time rift?"

She nodded. "Yep, a small group of us been sent to negotiate with the locals living on top of it, but they weren't as friendly as we'd hoped and they poisoned me, hence the regeneration. I probably should have seen this coming, really, considering that I've known the whole time that I regenerated on top of a rift in time."

Jack smirked. "It makes sense now why you froze."

"It's like a combination of seeing a duplicate of yourself and a duplicate of a dead person. Doubly terrifying," Aliya chuckled, "But it should be fine, it'll just take me a while to get used to it. I mean her eyes are different, they're brown, which helps just a little."

"You'll get used to strange things on here," Jack assured her, "In the meantime, welcome to Torchwood."

* * *

**So Esther's still alive! Woop! I just couldn't let her be dead, it seemed so wrong and I loved her so much. But I couldn't get rid of Rex in her place either, I just needed both! And Esther is immortal instead of Rex because I think that her and Jack would be much better off spending their very long lives together (not necessarily as a couple) as opposed to Jack and Rex, LOL.**

**And yeah Marion is kind of just to finish the whole thing off, really. The team feels more complete with her there to me, hopefully when you guys get to know her a bit better you like her. She's been quite civil so far but trust me when I say that it's not always the case.**

**So, we're getting a bit close to 800 reviews! Remember that there will be a kiriban (gift/reward fic) for the 800th reviewer! Provided that it's a decent sized review that isn't just half a line or something.**

**I'll hopefully see you all again soon, but reviews do encourage me to write faster! ;)**

**I love you all.**

**-MayFairy :)**


	46. Special Friends

**Massive apologies, I wrote over two thirds of this chapter over the last two days but before that I was stuck just for no good reason! Also, I blame Tumblr, specifically Swan Queen (an OUAT ship) because it has kind of ruined my life. EVERYTHING IS SWAN QUEEN AND NOTHING AND EVERYTHING HURTS AT THE SAME TIME. Plus I'm on a real Star Wars thing at the moment and have an idea for a short little Qui-Qon/OC fic that won't leave me alone, so don't be surprised if that pops up...**

**But thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter: Jillian Mastrano 101, MaluTyler, ZackAttack96, Marmelatta, whovian-halfbloods, OptimisticLivvy, alovethatwillneverbe, Spirit-of-the-Rain, SplendiferousBowties, Mrs. 11th, Caligo Origuu, Tipper dehavilland, Squirrel-Face, and SalmaPerez! **

**You lot are amazing and I love you all. :) **

**This chapter is mostly Jack and Aliya with some Doctor/River in the middle. A lot of the upcoming chapters will be like this, because I have more ground to cover at Torchwood for character development and future plot, than I do with the Doctor and River. They have to happen at the same time, but more has to happen at Torchwood, hence mostly Torchwood and some TARDIS stuff for the time being. **

**Though I will say that when River dies, the Doctor is definitely going to be hogging the spotlight for a while because obviously that's going to have quite an effect on him. **

**Anyway, on with the chapter! **

* * *

Settling into Torchwood had been easier than expected. Although Rex didn't seem too keen on the newcomer, Gwen was friendly enough and once Aliya had apologised to Esther for her strange behaviour, the other blonde had been reasonably warm, though ever so slightly wary, which was understandable. Marion didn't seem too interested either way, though Aliya did occasionally catch her staring curiously when she thought the newbie wasn't looking.

After the end of an uneventful but rather passable first day, Aliya found reason to linger as the others left, before turning to Jack and grinning.

"So how often do you sleep, exactly?" She asked.

"About every 2 weeks, yourself?"

"Twice as often."

"Not so superior now, are you?"

Aliya snorted. "You're hardly a normal human, I doubt Esther sleeps much either, these days."

"She hasn't said anything, but she doesn't like to talk about the whole thing…like I say, it hasn't really sunk in for her yet."

"But meanwhile, we're left with a lot of free time on our hands almost every night…ideas?"

Jack's expression was devilish as he grinned. "You have no idea how many things I could say to that sentence under normal circumstances." When she turned slightly pink, he chuckled. "But for you, Alibear, I was thinking a getting-to-know-each-other game."

"There's such a thing?" Aliya lifted an eyebrow and he merely beckoned for him to follow him to his office.

Five minutes later there were two shot glasses and a bottle of strong whiskey on the table, and they were sitting opposite each other.

"This is how the game works. We guess favourites, and when we're wrong, we take a shot of the whiskey," Jack explained, and Aliya leaned back into her chair with a grin on her face.

"See, this is why I didn't go to Sarah Jane!" She chuckled. "She probably wouldn't even let me drink, let alone join in. Also, the idea of drinking with her is just wrong on several levels. And after the last couple of weeks I've had, I really need a drink or ten."

"Then we better get started," Jack grinned, "Favourite colour. Yours is…blue?" She shook her head. "Green?"

"That's my runner up," She smirked, "Two shots for you. Yours is blue?" He nodded and she looked pleased with herself as he took poured and downed the two shots.

"Okay, no, I got it now. Yellow. Like sunshine. You're a sunshine sort of girl," Jack whooped when she nodded.

"Favourite food. Yours is…fish and chips?" Aliya made a face as he shook his head. "Crumpets?"

"You didn't seriously just say that," He laughed.

"Well, you live in Britain…"

"Still. I'll save your neck on this one. It happens to be steak, or Chinese food, but you have to take a shot for me telling you, so that's three," Jack instructed, and she shot him a grateful look.

"I would have been there forever," she knocked the shots back one by one, and blinked several times afterwards. "Hm. Whiskey is a bit strange."

"You'll get used to it. Favourite planet?"

She studied him. "Falmea?" It was one of the most famous pleasure planets in the galaxy, and he burst out laughing.

"No, but great guess!" He eyed her with approval, still chuckling. "What about you, Gallifrey?"

Again, she made a face. "As if. Florana?"

"Can't claim to have been there, unfortunately. And you'd hardly bring up your real favourite, so no point asking it of you…you know, I have no idea," Jack admitted, and took a shot. "Okay, tell me."

Aliya giggled. "You're going to laugh at me." When he simply grinned a little and raised an eyebrow, she said, "Shallacatop." When he began to do just what she had predicted, she covered her face with her hands embarrassedly.

"Why? It's so…ordinary!"

She peeked through her fingers, unable to keep his infectious grin from getting her too, smiling despite herself. "Because everyone is so nice! Plus, they have the best ice cream in the entire universe."

Jack blinked before going off on another round of laughter. "Ice Cream. That's your reason?"

Her hands lowered and she sniffed a little haughtily. "You never did ask what my favourite food was. I'd wager that now you know." She couldn't keep up the pretentious air for long and was soon grinning at him again.

The night went on, and once they had covered a lot of favourites, they moved onto games such as 'Would You Rather…?', and by two in the morning, both were quite drunk. With at least a smidge of responsibility left, Jack confiscated the liquor to make sure that they had time to get rid of the alcohol so that they were weren't going to be drunk when the others started turning up at ten.

"Well, now whatta we gonna do?" Aliya's words were slurred as she perched herself on the table lazily.

"We should sober up, probably, by eating something," Jack sat next to her, and had to laugh when she appeared a little disappointed.

"That's less fun," She frowned, "Aaand the mind numbing is kinda nice, which it shouldn't be but it is."

"Thought Time Lords were too smart to want to be mind-numbed," Jack snickered, looking at her with an exaggerated cocked eyebrow that gave him a very effeminate appearance. It made her laugh too hard just looking at it and she pushed his face away with her hand, giggling. "Seriously! What don't you want to be thinking about?"

"My various problems that all seem to come back to me being an idiot, and somehow drunk idiot is better."

"Is this another thing I'm going to have to wait until the end of the week to find out about?"

"Probably."

"Well, if we're not going to drink or talk about our long estranged pasts, what are we going to do?"

After thinking for several moments, Aliya's eyes lit up. "We could play a game! Not a drinking one, just a normal one."

"For someone who is a reasonably sexual drunk, you're also quite a childish one, did you know that?" Jack chuckled, and she soon joined in.

"No, but I _do _love learning about my drunk self."

They ended up playing an intense drunken game of snap, with Aliya being fascinated by the playing cards. Their rowdiness resulted in very loud shouting upon one of them getting their hand on the pile first, and several hand wars afterwards.

* * *

By dawn, they had separated and gone to get dressed. By the time everyone else started arriving they were having breakfast at the coffee table in front of the couch.

Esther was in first.

"Esther Drummond, the first beautiful face I see in the mornings, how are you?" Jack greeted the blonde human with enthusiasm and warmth.

"Should I be offended?" Aliya asked wryly, and he smirked at her.

"Sorry to break it to you, Alibear, but she's prettier than you," He said, and Aliya took one look at Esther before shrugging with agreement. The woman in question had a small, confused smile on her face, and if Aliya wasn't imagining it, a faint blush in her cheeks.

"Good morning to you too, Jack," Esther said, still a little surprised but recovering quickly, "And you, Alison."

Trying not to frown at being called Alison, Aliya smiled tightly. "Please, just Ali."

"Alright, whatever you like," Esther smiled again before heading off to her station to get to work.

Once she was out of earshot, Aliya leaned in towards Jack and murmured, "I hope you realise that complimenting her beauty is in a way still a compliment to me, considering that I used to look exactly like that?"

"Were you really identical to her?"

"Aside from the eyes, yes, as far as I can see," Jack lifted an eyebrow at that and she shrugged, "I mean, I had a few freckles on my face, and a line of three freckles along the bottom of my-"

"Your what?" Jack's flirtatious voice was back along with his laudable curiosity as he cocked an eyebrow.

Promptly, her face turned tomato red and she pointedly stood up. "Never you mind, Harkness." Her voice had turned slightly cool, but only as a cover up for her embarrassment at how free she was being with personal details.

"I'm not going to let this go, I hope you realise that," Jack remarked, following her when she went into the area of the workstations.

"I'd almost be disappointed if you did, but the disappointment is going to be yours this time, Jack," Aliya sat down at her computer and avoided looking at him as she started it up.

"So I'll get you drunk again," came the counter, and she just snorted. Meanwhile, Esther was watching the two of them.

"Again?" She had an inquiring smile and matching eyebrow as she looked between them.

"I've got her drunk twice now," Jack explained, "It's great fun."

Aliya wasn't really listening to them, her attention was still on Jack. "Contrary to what you might think, Jack, I don't tell intimate personal details, sober or drunk."

"Don't you?" Jack's grin was devilish and the Time Lady's confidence wavered slightly.

"No, I don't, I would remember if I-" She paused, taking in Jack's expression and smug disposition. "Though the wedding reception, there were a couple of grey areas – Jack, _did_ I tell you personal things about myself?"

"Several."

Aliya shifted her gaze down to her hands, suddenly upset. "Well I hope you realise that it's not something I ever do. Not with someone I've spent less than four days with."

"I'm not going to tell anyone, Alibear-"

"I should hope not, but my name is Alison, Jack, as you would do well to remember," She said coldly, "And if you don't mind I'd like to get along with going through your catalogue of extra-terrestrials without being disturbed."

Jack and Esther exchanged a glance once her attention was back on the computer, before the latter gave him a questioning look, only for him to shrug, frowning a little.

* * *

Gwen, Rex, and Marion, in that order, all arrived within the hour. Marion had been sat down for only a minute when she took in the large frown on the face of her working neighbor. "The computer being mean to you?" She asked sarcastically.

"It's an inanimate object, it can't do anything of the sort," Aliya replied vaguely, eyes locked into the screen.

"Perhaps not, but you looked pissed at something."

"Someone, more like," The Time Lady muttered, but Marion still heard.

"Oh, well then it's probably very petty and I'm no longer interested," The dark haired woman said, getting on with her work without another word, for which Aliya was grateful. The blonde stayed out of the conversations the rest of the team were having, and from the few times she tried to listen in, she didn't understand much of the topics they were discussing anyway.

After an hour, she had to give in, for both personal and professional reasons. "Jack, you've got some massive holes in this profile on Arcateenians."

"Such as?" The commander of the team cocked an eyebrow as he crossed to her station.

"They don't all have super strength and speed, which is what you have written here. There are five planets in the Arcateen system, and by the looks of it you have only actually encountered one member of the species, probably from Arcateen II based off what you have down here. Every Arcateenian has telepathic abilities that usually means they can fool your mind into sensing with all five senses that you are seeing the type of humanoid that one would expect to see, depending on what planet one was from and what form they would believe was the norm," Aliya explained.

"Yeah, the one we ran into called herself Mary and looked like a normal human most of the time, she had Tosh tricked for quite a while," Jack nodded.

"Oh, I remember that now, she was a criminal, that one," Gwen recalled, and Aliya shrugged.

"Most of them are friendly, especially the ones from Arcateen V, they are almost all creatively gifted, collectively known as Star Poets, they travel the universe just to share their poetry with others," The blonde smiled. "Look, sit down Jack, and I'll explain it to you while I fill in the profiles."

And just like that, conversation became easy again, though she knew that she would have to have a serious discussion with Jack later to find out just what he knew about her.

* * *

Later in the day, the team was notified about a Weevil breakout on the other side of the city.

"Okay, Esther, you stay here, hack into whatever you need to and find out where they've come from. Gwen, Rex, Marion, you three head out and take care of them," Jack instructed everybody, and they all nodded until Marion paused before crossing her arms and regarding him curiously.

"While you do what, exactly?" Her words almost sounded like a challenge, but Jack just smirked.

"I'll be teaching Alison here how to use a gun," He explained, flicking his eyes over to Aliya, who seemed shocked at the idea.

"You will?" When a look that said 'don't cause a fuss, just go with it' was sent her, she was quick to nod and shut up.

"True, she needs to know just as much as I did," Gwen agreed, though glanced at Aliya and added, "But watch him, he can get a bit handsy when he is 'trying to show you the proper stance'."

Jack just laughed and didn't bother to deny it, while Aliya thanked the other woman for the warning. As the three team members left, Jack lead Aliya away from where Esther was working. "Come on, Alison."

"Yeah, I really don't like you calling me that," Aliya told him, frowning, "Please stick to Ali." The room they arrived in was the remains of a disused underground tunnel, a firing range that was deep enough to disappear into darkness. Near the door was a bench with various weapons that made the Time Lady a little uneasy. "Is this really necessary? I don't like guns."

"If you're going to work here, you need to know how to use them, even if it's just for emergencies."

"The Doctor would not approve."

"The Doctor isn't here and he doesn't need to know. Besides, his wife has a blaster, doesn't she?"

"She's the exception to his rule."

"What about me?"

She glanced at him accusingly. "_You_ are the exception to _every_ rule." Jack cocked an eyebrow and waited a beat, after which she blushed slightly upon realizing exactly what she had said. He laughed and fetched eye and ear protectors for both of them before picking up one of the many guns on the bench.

"Okay, now watch and learn. You insert the cartridge like this," As he demonstrated, his eyes flicked up to check that she was watching him, which she was. He offered it to her and she – very slowly – extended her hand to take it from him. Her eyes ran over it with curiosity, but also another emotion that Jack very plainly read as wariness and fear. "Look, I know that the Doctor can send a pretty strong 'guns are bad and very dangerous' message, but that's only if they are in the wrong hands, Ali."

Aliya nodded, trying to convince herself as well as him that she believed what he was saying. "And by 'the wrong hands', you mean someone either immoral, ignorant or incompetent?"

"That's one way of looking at it," Jack chuckled, "And you're none of things, you're just without the knowledge you need to use them safely. But I'm about to fix that. First lesson: always assume that a gun is loaded until proven otherwise. Never point it at anyone's face unless you intend to shoot them there-"

"Jack, I do have common sense, you know, I'm not going to do anything stupid with it, I just need to know how to use it," The blonde interrupted, shooting him a condescending look. He hesitated, surprised for only a moment before he realized how right she was and laughed at how he had forgotten she wasn't a careless and stupid human like so many people could be.

"Alright then," said the ex-Time Agent as he came to stand next to her, "Hold the gun in one hand." He took in the way she clutching it like she was afraid of letting go, and how her hand was shaking just a little. "Don't hold it so tight, you want it firm, but it's not going to slip out of your fingers."

Her head turned to look at him. "It feels like it will."

"It's just the nerves. You don't seem like the type to drop a lot of things. Now turn sideways to the target," While he delivered his instructions, he guided her body to face the right way and brought her arm up to be level with her shoulders.

"Gwen wasn't kidding when she said that you got handsy doing this," Aliya commented, and it only made him laugh.

"Alibear, I'm just getting started."

"You say that without shame or asking if it bothers me."

"Does it?" His voice was smug before hearing the answer.

Inhaling deeply by accident, her senses were suddenly filled with his 51st century pheromones, which were just as intoxicating as ever. "No. But you know I blame the pheromones."

Again he laughed. "So I guess you Time Lords aren't as immune as you like to pretend, huh?"

"It's not my fault, it's a natural biological reaction."

"Don't take the romance out of it, Alibear."

"Pft."

"Say what you like about the pheromones, Ali, but I know that it's the jaw line. Once seen, always yearned for."

"You wish."

Quickly, he pressed his body up against hers, bringing his hand up to cover hers where it held the gun. "I know you love it. In your own way."

"Perhaps," She replied, amused and rather enjoying his proximity.

He switched back to the gun lesson without warning. "Now keep your arm straight and use it to look down to the sights." He cocked the gun for her. "Do you want to aim it by yourself or do you want me to help?"

"I'll try by myself," Aliya answered. He nodded and his hand came down to join his other on her waist, keeping their hips firmly together. She figured that it was probably both for stability and his own enjoyment. Luckily, it was only slightly distracting and she was able to keep the gun reasonably steady as she aimed it at one of the targets, which was imprinted with a picture of an alien creature she didn't recognize. The idea of shooting at the living creature wasn't a pleasant one, but it was depicted as somewhat hostile. She found herself imagining that she was standing with the Doctor, that the creature was about to attack him and that this was her chance to save him. To be like River. Useful in a fight.

The gun fired several times and she grimaced when she saw that only one of the bullets had hit the target at all, and even then only on the edge. Considering what she had visualized, the failure hit her harder than she rationally knew it should. But all she could think of was how she was constantly coming second best to River, even when the other woman wasn't present.

It seemed that Jack could sense her anger, and he slowly said, "Hey, don't get worked up over it, it's your first time, you'll get better."

"Sorry, I'm just being stupid," said Aliya shakily. "I'll try again."

Her second attempt wasn't much better, but they were both patient enough to keep at it, and once she improved noticeably, Jack started messing with her by tickling her and making kissy faces at her over her shoulder. His hands roamed over her stomach in a way that between any two other people would have been sensual, but between the two of them in that moment was just his silly antics and she was soon responding in kind, leaning back against him and laughing harder than she could remember doing in a long time.

And of course, that was how Rex found them, pressed against each other with Jack's hands in places they probably shouldn't have been and Aliya leaning back on him, giggling, her face very close to his.

The American was clearly surprised and bewildered as he stared at them, before he frowned. "Man, what the hell?! I thought you were gay!"

Neither of entangled people were in the mood to be serious, but Jack in particular had thoughts only of messing with Rex.

"Ohmigod, how could I forget?" He exclaimed, pretending to be horrified and shocked as he released Aliya. "Aliya, we can't be together, because my heart belongs to the well-endowed males of the universe, as my loins ache for their masculine touch!" Aliya could barely hold back her giggles at his ridiculously overly dramatic tone, but she was quick to join in.

"No, Jack, I must have you, kiss me one last time and see if it does not cure you of this insanity!" She went with her gut and jumped at him, wrapping her legs around his waist as his arms came to support her back. Without further ado they began kissing fervently and dramatically, not stopping for at least twenty seconds. When they broke apart, Jack's face was bright with faked wonder.

"I'm cured!" He shouted, mock amazed, and they both turned to look at Rex, who was staring and clearly utterly unsure of how to react to such a bizarre display. The two non-mortals burst out laughing and Aliya buried her face into Jack's shoulder as their bodies shook in unison with the force of their mirth.

"Seriously though Rex," Jack said, regarding the black man smugly, "Why would I limit myself to one category when there are so many attractive people in the universe?"

"Yeah, whatever," Rex looked a little disturbed from their antics, "You two are fucking crazy, man, I swear."

Aliya just grinned, unperturbed, and glanced down at Jack, who she was still wrapped around. "You can put me down now."

"Do I have to?" Despite his flirtatious words, he safely deposited her onto the ground.

"Lord, I haven't had this much fun in a long time," She said, as she and Jack began to follow Rex out of the hangar/tunnel.

"Glad that somebody here is entertained," Rex muttered.

"I'm very entertained too, not to mention, Ali, you basically just admitted that I'm more fun than _he_ is," Jack commented, to which Rex turned around, confused again.

"What? I barely know her!"

"Rex, it might be hard for you to hear, but he wasn't actually talking about you," Aliya said wryly, only to get a glare from the American.

"Then who the hell were you talking about?"

"A mutual friend whom you don't know, so run along and don't worry about," Her cool tone made him roll his eyes and stalk off.

"So, am I more fun than him?"

"Not exactly. When it comes to him, I'm sort of the problem," She sighed, "I'll explain it some other time."

"This one of those 'end of the week' things?"

"I guess."

"I'm intrigued now."

"Oh, and that's when we'll be talking about any drunk confessions I made to you, as well. Because those will be pretty personal too and I'm not quite comfortable with talking to you about that kind of thing yet." She took a deep breath. "I mean, I'm amazed at how easy it is to be around you, and how quickly I'm trusting you and liking you and all of that, so I think part of me knows that you _are _going to be a really close friend and that it _will _be okay, probably much sooner than it normally would be…but it's not quite there yet," Aliya explained, her voice awkward and unsure.

Jack grinned. "It's fine, honestly. I've got enough to be getting on with, it's not like your personal life is the only thing I'm interested in. I have four other staff, a very demanding job, a libido I can't tame, and a face and body so gorgeous that it makes life outrageously difficult."

Snorting, Aliya took a few steps away from him and regarded him with an unreadable expression. "Yeah, right."

"I mean it though. Just tell me what you want when you want. And when you do, it will be because you need to talk about it, not because I need to hear it." Jack paused, and then broke the aura of his sincerity with a naughty wink. "Doesn't mean that I'm not curious though."

She couldn't stop herself from smiling. "Thanks Jack."

* * *

Meanwhile, halfway across the universe, the Doctor was dropping his wife off, watching her walk back into her prison cell. "I'm going to miss you," He said sadly, "How will I know when you've done all this time? I can hardly say our wedding."

River shrugged and gave him a small, wistful smile. "Let's call it our linear patch. It's reasonably spoiler-free."

"Okay," He nodded and kissed her lingeringly. "I'll see you soon."

"You'd better," She joked. "Goodbye, sweetie."

The Doctor just nodded and went back inside the TARDIS. Once inside, the silence bothered him. He had been so used to having people with him…this regeneration had never travelled alone before, and it felt wrong somehow. As though Amy and Rory should be just around the corner, snogging somewhere or talking about going to Rio…as though Aliya should be up by the console, teasing him, ready to help him fly the TARDIS to their next destination…as though River should still be there, flirting and laughing and doing everything little thing that made him love her so much.

And he knew that he and River were travelling in opposite directions. Sure, there were random exceptions where he would get an older River, but generally she would be getting younger and younger. He had already met he for the first and second times, which made him feel slightly better, as it meant that no matter what, the last time he saw her, she would still know who he was.

That was more than River was going to get. More than she had gotten.

* * *

"So, where are we, River?"

River glanced up at him from her ice cream as they walked down a boardwalk in Edinburgh, and a hint of pride was in her eyes. "They just made me a Doctor of Archaeology."

"Well done," He smiled proudly down at her, and the praise seemed to please her, "So how well do you know me?"

"Not as well as I would like," She admitted, "But I know that I consider you a very good and very special friend."

The Doctor nodded for a moment before her words sunk in and he hesitated before his head abruptly turned to look at her, slight confusion and curiosity on his face. "Define special."

"You're a mad man in a box, how much more special do you want to be?" River lifted an eyebrow, and he chuckled nervously.

"Well, true, never mind, friend, I can do friend," He said, taking in the seaside around them in an effort not to show how much his own words bothered him. "So do you have anyone back home…a boyfriend or a girlfriend? You know, a kissing and scones and texting friend?"

"That's what you think being in a relationship is?" River chuckled.

"No, of course not!" He defended, before quietly adding, "Just human ones."

She rolled her eyes, but somehow meant it in a fond way. "Well, for your information, there is someone I have my eye on."

"Oh, well, um, good, that's good," He replied vaguely, ignoring the claws of petty jealousy in his chest.

"Only I don't know if he likes me back," continued River, and he looked at her again.

"Of course he does, how couldn't he? You're so…" Words failed him and he just settled for, "You're _River Song._" He sensed her stopping and so he halted in his steps as well, and rotated to face her when he saw her doing the same to him.

"Well then," She said, smiling widely, "Let's put that to the test, shall we?"

A frown appeared on his face. "River, what-" He didn't have time to get any more words out before she was kissing him enthusiastically. At first his arms flailed awkwardly, like they always did when she caught him by surprise, but quickly they pulled her closer, holding her and putting his hands on her hips out of habit, because every inch of her was so familiar to him.

Finally she pulled away, and triumph shone in her eyes. "So I was right about us, then."

"Yes – wait, no, what?" He backtracked, studying her.

"With the way you act, I always wondered if it was because we were…this. And now I know that we are," River explained, "You hold me like you've done it a thousand times."

"Spoilers," He said reluctantly, "But yes…I suppose we are…this. Don't think it will be easy and fun all the time River, because it's not. Being on timelines like ours can make it very difficult."

"More interesting, though."

He had to smile at a comment that basically summed up half of her personality. "I suppose."

* * *

It ended up being two weeks before Aliya was in the mood to talk to Jack about the things she needed to, but eventually the night came where she sat down on the edge of the conference table in his office and stared at him for a few moments before saying, "So I think now we really do need to talk about what went down at the wedding reception."

Jack turned in his chair to face her rather than his computer and desk. "Okay," He said, nodding. "Do you want to know what you told me?"

It took a few deep breaths before she swallowed and nodded. "Yeah." She let out a nervous laugh. "I'm really worried now, actually."

He rose from his desk and came to sit next to her. "Well, the first thing you let out was that you…lost your virginity to the Master." He watched her entire body stiffen and when she looked at him, her face was ashen and pale.

"Shit," She whispered.

"Yeah," He found himself agreeing.

"What else?" Her voice stayed incredibly quiet.

"You kind of elaborated on it when I asked…you told me how he manipulated your mind, how when you didn't want him he would make it so that you did…but you said that you loved him-"

"I did. I'm not exactly proud of it," She said, not looking at him, "He was nice at first. Handsome and charming. And he was the first person I ever loved. My first…everything, I suppose."

"So what changed?"

"You've met him. He began to get jealous of how close I was to Thet – the Doctor, and he would get angry and-" Her breath caught in her throat and she sighed. "It just got bad from there. I would leave him, only for him to reel me back in, with his _persuasion_," Her voice was bitter, "I was the most pathetic excuse for a person by that point. Absolutely no fortitude whatsoever. The Doctor tried to help, but there was nothing he could do. It went on for years, decades even."

Jack sat still, taking in all the information. It sounded very much like the Master the he had known. "So how did it end?"

"I would never have been able to get out of it by myself," admitted Aliya, "And the Doctor respected me too much to do what was necessary. But a friend of ours at the time helped me when he asked her to, by invading my mind and forcing me to see the hold on it that Kos – the Master had, and then she helped me to break it and put up a barrier to keep him out. I think that she probably saved my life, or my mental health, at least."

"I hate that guy even more now, and I hadn't thought it was possible," Jack said after a half minute of silence. She laughed a strange, humorless laugh.

"Yeah, you and me both," She fiddled with her fingers, "At least he's deader now than he's been in the past. He's managed to survive more deaths than I can recall, but if anything can hold him, it's a Time Lock, and now he's in one."

"Good." There was an even longer pause before he realized something with a jolt. "So, hang on, if he was your first ever, then was that your first body? The one that looks like Esther?"

"Yep," Aliya muttered solemnly, "Though I looked quite a bit younger at the time."

"I can barely get my head around it, looking at Esther is going to be a bit strange for a while, I think," Jack frowned.

"Try having the actual memories."

"True."

It wasn't for another minute or so of deep thought on both of their parts that Aliya managed to gain enough inner strength to ask the next question necessary. "So what else did I tell you?" Considering how much of a bombshell the first one had been, it made her even more wary to hear the second. _Please let it be about Anna. That would be an easy enough secret. Or maybe just a mention that I travelled with the Doctor in his fifth incarnation, without any details…_

"You said that you used to love the Doctor, that you loved each other and were together," Jack answered slowly, hoping that she would deny it and say that it was just something she had come up with while she was drunk because it was so messed up that it was funny to think about.

But when her face went from pale to nauseous, and her eyes flashed with hurt and anger and something that looked like self-irritation…Jack knew that it had been very far from a lie.

"I'm never getting drunk again," Aliya breathed, squeezing her eyes shut and trying to keep her breathing even. "No one knows that…only me and him…and Tegan, though she was kind enough not to say anything to anyone but me at the wedding."

"But seriously, Ali, how is that even possible?"

"People fall in love, Jack, it happens," She murmured.

"I know _that_. Almost everyone who meets that man falls in love with him! Rose, me, Martha, River, you…I always thought that Sarah Jane did too," Jack pointed out, but far from reassuring her, his words seemed to shock and discomfort her.

"You all…fell in love with him?"

"Well, yeah, you're in the same boat as the rest of us, you must understand why," Jack shrugged.

"I suppose I'm more similar to the rest of you lot than I thought…Romana was another one of his companions…she loved him too," Aliya said, disheartened.

Jack patted her on the knee reassuringly. "I wouldn't be so hard on yourself. How could someone not fall in love with him? He's mysterious and crazy and this genius that you'll never quite understand. He pretends to find us lower species so stupid but he fights for us and everyone else anyway and he can take you to the stars. He's so…passionate about life." He trailed off, lost in memories of the Doctor, _his _one, the big eared one in leather, in particular. "He's kind of like a lonely god that keeps wandering."

The description seemed to bother Aliya, and when she finally met his eyes, a strange mix of melancholy confusion and amusement swum in hers. "That's how you see him?"

"It's how we all see him. Don't you see him like that?"

She laughed a laugh that sounded more like a hiccup. "I could never see him as a god or as a mysterious wandering genius. I look at him and I see a boy in Gallifreyan school uniform that I'm trying to help understand our temporal engineering homework. A boy who took me _outside_, so that I could feel the rain on my skin for the first time. I see every stupid thing he ever did after I met him, every stupid thing that _we _did. I see the boy that tried to save me from the most dangerous relationship I've ever been in. I see a man who has been hurt countless times and sometimes barely seems like the man I know. But always, I see my best friend in the entire universe. And he's silly and mad and wonderful and he knows me better than anybody else without me having to explain, just like I know him, perhaps not completely, but more completely than anyone else can. I love him because of that, and because of the way he smiles at me when we share a joke that no one else could understand, or when I've done something that he thinks is brilliant, or when he's embarrassed because he's done something stupid and doesn't want me to see it and tease him. Because of how I know that he'll always try and keep me safe, and because I feel safe when I'm with him." Taking in a deep, shuddering breath, Aliya realized that she was crying, and wiped at her eyes.

"And you still love him now," Jack said, admiring her speech but feeling sympathy for the woman who he had realized was in a terrible screwed up situation, "Does he know?"

"Of course he doesn't," She whispered, "When he found me after the war, I was going to say something, or do something, but then River turned up and I realized that there was something between them, along their timelines. I couldn't mess with that! So I kept quiet and we just pretended like there had never been anything more than friendship between us."

He arched an eyebrow at that. "And it worked?"

"We had to talk about it at one point, but it was very brief and we just agreed that neither of us wanted it anymore, which at the time I thought was true, but then-"

When she didn't continue, he tried to prompt her. "Then what?"

Her head shook from side to side quickly. "All you need to know is despite a couple of other things happening, I was fine until about a month ago. It's too much of a long story to explain what happened, but he rescued me from what was basically my own personal hell. He'd sent me a hypercube, like a telepathic message in a box, and I'd been holding onto it the entire time, reaching out for the tiny piece of his mind that was inside it. And that was the only thing that kept me going for six days straight. And then about a week after he rescued me from that…I just came to this horrible realization that as much as I had convinced myself that he was just my friend, I loved him more than anything. But he's married and it's far, far too late."

"Well fuck," Was the only mildly helpful response Jack could come up with as he stared at the rather hopeless crying Time Lord in front of him.

She snorted. "That basically sums it up." Loudly, she sniffed.

"So you're here because-"

"Because between seeing them together and knowing that she-" Aliya decided she wasn't ready to talk about River's inevitable death yet, "It wasn't good for me."

"Aliya, I'm going to ask you something," He immediately had her attention, because he never usually called her by her normal name, "And you don't have to, but I'd like an honest answer."

"Okay."

"You look kind of like you don't have the best self-esteem right now. Does the fact that he has River and not you, make you think less of yourself?"

"No!" Her answer was too quick and they both noticed it, and she hesitated, thinking, before her brow furrowed and her head sunk. "I didn't think so. Maybe."

Jack tilted up her chin to make sure that she was looking at him. "I'm going to give you some advice. Don't ever think you're not good enough just because someone picks someone else over you. Has the Doctor ever told you that you're not good enough?"

"Well-"

"I'm thinking no. And even if he had, just because he believes or says something, doesn't mean that he's right. I look at you and I see an intelligent woman who just needs to realize that the only person who needs to put her first is herself. Because the Doctor isn't going to do it and I'm not going to do it," As he spoke, Aliya's eyes filled with something that looked like a spark of resilience that hadn't been there before, "However…I _do_ think that you are funny and loyal and a complete alien at times…not to mention, a _total _babe." He distorted his voice on the last phrase in a way that made her laugh, and when she started she couldn't stop for reasons neither of them knew, other than that she probably needed to.

Finally, Aliya calmed down and rolled her eyes at him. "You think everyone is a babe," She pointed out.

"Yeah, but everyone includes you, so who cares?"

"Pft."

It was then that he kissed her, in a passionate, reassuring way. "Feel free to use me as a distraction whenever you want." His thumbs rubbed some of the tears off of her face and she sniffed again.

"A kissing distraction?" She inquired.

"If you like. It's a fair deal. You get kisses or hugs or whatever it is you want, and I get eye candy and groping privileges," Jack offered, and a laugh escaped her.

"We have a strange friendship," she said thoughtfully, and he laughed with her.

"Yeah, but you like it," He flirted. It made her grin.

"Maybe I do."

And just like that the easy flirting was back, and all problems were forgotten for a while.

* * *

**So I don't know what you guys thought of the scene where Jaliya (I might just refer to them as a group unit for now, lol) mess with Rex, but I know I enjoyed writing it because it was something I could totally see Jack/John Barrowman doing... :P **

**Hope you liked it and that the angst wasn't too much, because in terms of Aliya and Jack, there won't be too much more of it for the time being, it's mostly going to be the Doctor reaching his final days with River. :'( **

**Anyway, hopefully I will update soon but you guys know how random my updates are, so just hang in there. Remember that reviews do help, a lot! Oh, and check out the Daliya Christmas one-shot I posted too, because I promise all the Daliya shippers will like. :) **

**Love you all,**

**-MayFairy :) **


	47. Some More Aliens

***insert usual excuses and apologies* I really AM sorry, guys. At least the chapter is here now! I stand by the fact that with every chapter we get more into the territory of the stuff I have been waiting to write for months upon months, so updates should be getting faster. **

**BUT, my school is performing The Sound of Music at our town/city theatre and I'm portraying Mother Abbess, which is quite a demanding part, so free time a little harder to come by. Still, I'm doing my best. Not to mention, that damn Qui-Gon/OC Star Wars fic kind of steals my attention a lot, but I think I have found a good new balance for the writing which should work? I'll let you guys know. **

**Anyway, thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter: TheGirlWhoImagined, loulouflowerpower, OptimisticLivvy, Arinlianette, Squirrel-Face, Emilygirlxox, MaluTyler, ZackAttack96, Mrs. 11th, and Caligo Origuu. :D **

**Hope you like the chapter, there's a nice cliffhanger at the end which should hopefully get some good reactions out of you lot. ;) **

**Dedicated to OptimisticLivvy for the constant support and cos she demanded Jack-in-a-bra so I delivered. XD **

* * *

"I don't know how I let you talk me into this."

"It's necessary! Now, what about this one?"

Aliya looked at the bra Jack was holding up and cringed. "Jack, it's entirely lace! I don't need anything like that, I just want something comfy, no one is going to see it."

He rolled his eyes. "You're no fun." She ignored him and continued browsing until she heard him calling out to her. "What do you think, does the red work or should I try it in black?"

When she turned around, a shirtless Jack was provocatively posed outside of one of the changing rooms, wearing a very racy red bra and his trademark 'you know you like it' grin. For a few moments she just stared, until she had to laugh. "Looks good on you."

He suggestively lent against the edge of the changing cubicle and thrust his chest out while running his hands down his sides. "Don't I know it." When a passing couple did a double take upon seeing him, Jack waggled his eyebrows at the man, only to have the flustered girlfriend hurry her bewildered significant other along.

After laughing heartily at the scene, Aliya regarded Jack again. "To be honest, I prefer the suspenders," She said as she reached behind his back to unclip the bra and pull it off him. When she did, he clasped his hands over his chest as if to preserve his modesty and let his mouth fall open into a melodramic 'o', which in seconds disappeared as the two of them erupted into laughter. When they had almost composed themselves, she took the suspenders hanging at his sides and brought them up over his shoulders to rest on his bare chest. "See, now that's a major improvement."

"So you like a man in suspenders, huh?" The words made Aliya pause as an image of the Doctor in his bowtie and suspenders burst unbidden into her head, followed by a memory of grabbing onto the latter in that one, glorious moment when he had – "Hey," Jack's voice, soft and a direct contrast to how it had been seconds before, broke her from the unhealthy thoughts. He cupped her cheek as she avoided his gaze, embarrassed. "Didn't think, sorry." Absently, she flicked one of his suspenders.

"It's fine. You look much hotter in them than he does anyway," She smiled, though not as widely as she usually would have with a such a comment. "Now put your shirt back on."

"Not what a man wants to hear," Jack joked, but went inside the cubicle to obey her instruction. When he came out, he found her holding up purchase suggestions and pretending that nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

Within a few minutes, they were back to disagreeing on the priority of certain qualities in bras.

"At least get a push-up bra."

She shook her head with frustration. "A what?"

"Seriously, you don't have that on Gallifrey?" Jack went off and found one with an obscene amount of padding. "Like this." Her hand reached out to feel it and her eyes widened, mouth slightly open.

"You people have undergarments to make breasts seem much larger and more shapely…that is so…_human_!" The Time Lady huffed and went back to the non-lace, brightly coloured and patterned ones. "Honestly, is it so hard to just accept yourselves for how you are instead of building up larger and larger false images…?"

"Just get this one," He asked, holding the push up bra, which was a deep red, out to her, "I have a good reason, and it involves laughing at stupid humans." She eyed it dubiously and then sighed.

"Fine, but it better be a good reason. I'm still not entirely comfortable with the fact that the size of my breasts fits into a system and that you know my size."

"Hey, being between 12B and 12C, that's a very normal and decent size, Alibear!" Jack assured her, and she went pink and just shook her head.

"I am not having a conversation with you about the size of my breasts!"

"Why not?"

"Because…well…" Aliya spluttered, trying to find the right words to explain herself, and eventually just crossed her arms in front of her chest in a very obvious attempt to hide the body parts in question from sight, "They're mine! And you don't get to have anything to do with them!" She marched to the counter, forcing him to follow, but not until he had scooped up several other items along the way.

"Of course I do, I get to look at them, accidentally grope them," Jack reminded her innocently, piling the lingerie onto the counter for the woman there to scan, "By the way, there's a lovely black lace one in there-"

Aliya spied said undergarment. "What? How did that get in there?"

"And there's matching underwear-"

"Put them back!"

Jack just smirked. "No. I'm paying, aren't I? Anyway, so if you wear that set, with say some low-riding jeans and a white shirt, preferably a bit thin, maybe a tank top," He made gestures to go along with what he was saying, "That would look real nice."

"Wouldn't it be slightly transparent with the contrasting colours?"

"Exactly!" He grinned as though she had correctly answered a question on a game show. "And especially if someone were to, you know, spill water on you….that would definitely be worth a raise. Promotion even…" She glanced at him, trying to work out his angle, while the woman at the counter watched both of them with slightly narrowed and suspicious eyes.

"I believe that, Mr Harkness, is called sexual harassment in the workplace and you should stop," Aliya replied, slightly more loudly than necessary, and the woman at the counter seemed to agree, "Trying to offer me promotions and perks for being an object of your wandering eye – and wandering everything, is rather illegal."

Jack leaned in to whisper in her ear, "I believe that your Gallifreyan work visa is rather illegal too, Alibear."

With a small huff, she leaned in until their lips were a hair's breadth from touching. "Shush now. I _may_ wear the clothes but there will be no water involved because Rex already gives me enough shit about being your fuck-bunny, and honestly whenever he mentions it, it makes me uncomfortable." She turned back towards the counter.

"Any proper mention of sex makes you uncomfortable," He replied, and handed over the money for the purchases to the woman who was now eyeing them with considerable confusion.

"I'm telling you, we don't talk about it where I come from, it's just wrong and disturbing," Aliya said, taking the purchases and thanking the woman as they turned away from the counter, "You're all so casual about it, it's disgusting."

"You're not much better once you've had a few drinks," Jack reminded her, and she frowned.

"Don't remind me of that, it's worrying," she said.

"It's fine, it makes you more human," He clearly hadn't thought the sentence over, because she stiffened a little, and when she tilted her chin up a fraction, her eyes carried an air of haughtiness.

"I'm _not _human, Jack." With that said quietly yet forcefully, she walked out of the store. He took a moment to consider his next choice of words before following her.

"Yeah," He began, "I know that, I meant that it makes you seem it, though."

Aliya frowned. "But is that a good thing? Why would I want to seem to be something I'm not?"

"Well, you are pretending to be a human, and it isn't exactly normal for one to be as uptight about it as you, especially since you're the complete opposite of religious."

She lifted her eyebrows as way of conveying her complete agreement on that. "I may be pretending to be a human, but I'm not going to hide large parts of who I am to keep up that pretence. Honestly, they can all just think I am strange if my behaviour seems off to them, I don't particularly care."

"I know that," Jack grinned as he looped his arm around her shoulders, "Now come on, we've got to hit some of the other shops, because I hate to break it to you, but this double denim thing you've got going on needs to stop now."

"What double denim thing?"

"Aliya, one of the basic rules of fashion is never wear denim with denim-"

"What? There are rules?!"

* * *

"Go left!"

"I _am_ left!"

"Not far enough, there's a huge gap where it's going to get past us, Blondie!"

"Fine then!"

Aliya huffed and spread out across the street she and Rex were sprinting down, trying not to think about how much the American man got on her nerves. The entire team was in the process of chasing an unidentified alien who had been wreaking havoc around Cardiff, and everyone had gone around the block to catch the alien at the other end.

The two Torchwood members followed the figure in the distance, only to be relieved when they saw four human silhouettes even further away.

It was cornered.

It knew it too, as with every metre of space it lost, it frantically looked around for an escape, but it was trapped in the alley with no alternatives, and soon slumped in defeat.

As Aliya got closer, she saw that it had pale yellow skin and a round featureless face, but before she could study it more closely, its skin shimmered and it morphed until it had taken the appearance of an ordinary human man, a tall muscular one with ginger hair and a large moustache.

"Where did the clothes come from?" She asked curiously, eyeing his pinstriped suit, and he adjusted it smugly.

"It's part of my body as well…I know how you lot get about modesty. Good, eh?" His voice was slightly off, not quite human but more gravelly, though he did speak with an American accent. The Time Lady merely nodded, figuring that she could give him that compliment at least.

Rex didn't look as impressed. "Did I really just see it turn into a person?"

"Don't trust your eyes, Rex, that thing isn't human, only decided to look it," Jack called as he, Esther, Gwen and Marion walked up.

"I've got a name, I'm not a thing," The shapeshifter growled irritably.

"Then tell us your name," Aliya rolled her eyes.

"I'm Fied, and I think you lot should leave me alone, I haven't done anything wrong."

Gwen didn't look pleased. "I'm sorry, do you think that running around the city and breaking into any building you fancy, and switching between dozens of different forms, _isn't _something wrong in a society which doesn't believe in aliens?"

He moved his gaze to the ground. "It's not my fault that humans refuse to believe what is right in front of them."

"What species are you?" Jack demanded, but Aliya answered before the alien could.

"He's a Whifferdill," She said, and the creature lifted an eyebrow but didn't deny it, "The yellow skin gave it away, plus the accent. They aren't usually aggressive so just put him in handcuffs or something."

"Oi, I could be a threat if I wanted!" Fied protested indignantly. "That is a stereotype, I'll have you know that I'm considered to have practically supernatural strength compared to most of my kind."

"How nice for you," Gwen said sarcastically as she put him in handcuffs and led him towards where they had left the SUV.

* * *

Aliya fiddled with one of the pencils at her desk as she watched the security footage of what the Whifferdill was doing in the containment cell he was in. It took her a few moments to notice when Rex came to stand behind her.

"How did you know what he was? How do you know anything about aliens at all? It's not like there's a school for it!" He asked, more forcefully than how he usually did when he inquired about her abilities. Her mouth twitched at the irony that she _had_ learnt most of her knowledge about other species from a school, but she was hardly going to mention that. Also, his disbelief in her abilities, whether it was how she had them or whether they were legitimate, was getting more and more irritating by the day.

"That's for me to know and for you to not find out," She answered mildly, not bothering to make it sound very polite.

"Is it so hard to give me a straight fucking answer?"

"Is it so hard to give me some fucking privacy and realise that I am not obligated to tell you anything, Matheson?"

A glare of mutual dislike was exchanged before he stalked off and she went back to watching Fied on the security feed. But even then, she wasn't entirely left in peace.

"It's funny watching him get so aggravated."

Aliya rotated her chair to look at Marion, who was smirking from behind her own computer monitor. "Why? I can't imagine he is usually even-tempered."

"No, but usually it's me who is annoying him," The dark haired woman explained, not taking her eyes off her screen.

"I had gotten the impression that the two of you got along quite well," Aliya tilted her head to the side a fraction as she regarded the other woman, who rolled her eyes.

"Rex and I are very similar, which means that a lot of the time we see eye to eye and get along well…but it also means that because of how we are, we get on each other's nerves sometimes too. But thanks to you," Marion's dark eyes flicked over to her conversational partner, "He's often too busy being irritated with you to be bothered also being irritated with me."

"So you actually _like _him?" She knew that her dislike for the man was almost definitely just a strange personal opinion, but the actual idea of someone liking the man was bizarre when she actually stopped to think about it.

"Not really," Marion said flatly, and when Aliya cocked an eyebrow, snorted and added, "But then, I don't particularly like anybody."

"What about me?"

"Especially not you." Aliya couldn't really stop herself from showing some of the offense she felt, but it was clear that Marion either didn't notice or care, as she went to add, "You're so – no, I imagine you already know what I'm about to say. I've got that corpse from yesterday to be dissecting anyway." With that, the doctor got up and walked out of the room in the direction of the med bay, with Aliya staring after her.

She didn't know what Marion had been about to say, but was now very curious as to which of her faults had been the one to have her fall from the other woman's graces. _Though she did say that she doesn't really like anybody, so you're hardly any different. What do you care what any human thinks of you anyway? You're not here to make friends, you're here to give yourself some breathing room and space to think._

* * *

Meanwhile, Jack and Gwen stood some way from the holding cell where they had put Fied the Wifferdill, trying to work out how to stop the troublemaker from disturbing the peace again, and also attempting to discern if he could be capable of committing more worrying crimes.

Fied himself was obviously very bored with the entire situation, switching forms every minute, from human to tiger to the Wifferdill default to a Sontaran. "Honestly, haven't I made it pretty obvious how harmless I am?"

"Maybe, but once we let you go what's gonna stop you from abusing what you can do and disturbing humans?" Gwen pointed out, and he switched back into the form of the ginger man with the moustache.

"To be honest, I was getting a bit bored of breaking and entering, was thinking about getting into the life of a travelling performer, the shapeshifting would make it easy enough," He said with an impish grin, and Jack resisted the urge to smile a little at his idea.

"And you wouldn't cause any trouble or hurt anyone?"

"If I were a travelling performer, I wouldn't have any reason to, believe me," Fied gestured towards the door, and Gwen hesitated before getting it open.

In a second, the world shifted, along with him. He was a tiger before they could react, and he had clawed them to the ground and bound out, leaving them bleeding and on the floor.

* * *

Esther and Rex were in the middle of a conversation about the current politics of their home country when Jack emerged from the lower levels.

"How's it going down there?" The blonde asked him with a smile that made it obvious she wasn't envious of the job.

"Not too bad," He answered, with a grin that wasn't quite his usual one, and a walk that didn't have his usual attitude.

"You okay, man?" Rex inquired, and the other American man nodded.

"Just might get some air," He began to walk past, and he was almost in the workspaces when Esther's eyes darted over to the entry to the lower levels and froze on the figure of a scratched up but very real Jack Harkness staggering out of it. Rex was quick to pick up on her strange body language, and once he had turned to see the same sight, the first and fake Harkness was quite a way away.

The black man reacted the fastest and soon followed Fied through the workspaces until he was back in his line of sight. His gun was out in seconds, and he fired a shot that hit the shapeshifter in the shoulder.

Snarling and shifting into the form of a very physically imposing alien which none of them had ever seen before, the Wifferdill spun on the spot and charged back towards Rex. While all of that had been going on, Aliya had jumped up from her desk and Marion had run up from the med bay at the sound of the gun shot. When the latter saw a chance, she pulled up the gun constantly at her side and fired several shots, all of which hit the alien with pinpoint accuracy in the torso. Judging by the yell it let out, it wasn't a pleasant experience.

"Aim for the muscle in the middle of his upper right arm!" Aliya told the three humans around her, "It holds the proteus gland, it will stop him shapeshifting into something harder to kill."

"Or, you know, we could just kill him," Rex snapped, firing more bullets at Fied, who roared and charged towards him, knocking Aliya out of the way as he did so. The American had to move quickly to avoid a similar fate, and just as he was about to deliberate his next move, two shots fired and the Wifferdill dropped dead, a bullet through both his head and heart. Everybody in the facility turned to see both Jack and Esther still holding their guns up, the angles showing that Jack as usual had aimed for the head while Esther had taken out the heart.

Aliya came around to get a better look at the body and those who had been involved in attacking it. "Why were we attacking it anyway, what in the name of-" She trailed off upon seeing Jack with a slashed shirt and gashes in his torso, "-oh. Right. Are you okay?"

He nodded and slowly made his way to the couch. "Mine's healing because that's what I do. But he got Gwen just as bad, and hers will take a while, you better help her."

"Already on it," Marion's voice called from the lower levels, and within a minute she was assisting an injured and rather bloody Gwen up the steps and over towards the med bay. "Though honestly, Gwen, we've got to be more careful about who we let loose in a facility full of very dangerous extra-terrestrial weapons, don't you think?" As she looked at the Welsh woman who was slowly nodding with a surprisingly positive expression for someone who had essentially been attacked by a murderous tiger, Marion surprised Aliya by flashing a surprisingly genuine – though also jokingly reprimanding – smile at the co-worker she was helping out.

Jack watched the two of them leave before directing his attention and a proud smile onto Esther, who was still anxiously holding her gun tightly and eyeing the dead body on the floor. "Esther, great job," He told her, and she slowly smiled, clearly still shaky but also pleased by the compliment.

"Oh, I just got lucky, you didn't really need me anyway," She dismissed, as if she had to.

"Hey, for all we know, Wifferdills have to be shot in the heart to be killed," Jack argued, intent on showing her the value she had, "Which means that we did need you. I don't let just anybody onto this team, you know, everybody is here because they can bring something that no one else can. So don't let me hear you saying that we don't need you, okay?"

Esther nodded a little, and allowed herself to smile, first only a fraction and then rather widely, "Okay." She walked off with a visible spring in her step.

Aliya had watched the exchange, and found an interesting parallel. "You know," She began as she sat down next to Jack on the couch, "You're a lot like the Doctor sometimes."

Whatever he had been expecting, it clearly hadn't been that, because he turned his head to eye her with surprise. "Really? How?"

"You…help everybody to see their own worth. You see something in people that not everyone else can," Aliya explained, grinning at him, "That's very like the Doctor."

"Yeah," He said, seeming to suddenly realise what she meant and sounding very pleased, "I guess it is. How about that." No matter how toned down the reaction was, Aliya knew that inside he would be very proud to be compared to the Time Lord man in such a positive way. It was obvious that no matter how many years had passed and how many times Jack had seen the Doctor's flaws, a part of Jack would always idolise and love the Doctor.

And the reason she knew was because it was a trait that the two of them shared.

* * *

A few days later, when Jack and Aliya had gotten together to fill in the new species profile for the Wifferdills, it came up that one of the reasons Aliya had heard of them was because the Doctor had once had a Wifferdill companion who had at one point caught mono-morphia and been stuck in the form of a penguin for a rather long time.

"I mean honestly, only the Doctor could pull off travelling with a penguin," She laughed, and Jack agreed, shaking his head, very amused by the idea. The words faded into silence as he went back to finalising the information in the profile, leaving her to her own thoughts, which then chose to dwell on the man they were discussing.

An unexpected influx of emotion hit her and she abruptly left the room. However, it wasn't before Jack had seen her saddened expression.

Aliya tried to look busy but Jack had followed her regardless and was making his way over to her. She dejectedly sat on the couch and stared morosely at the coffee table until he had joined her.

"You okay?"

She sniffed and gave him a wry smile. "You know how you think you are, and then it just sort of hits you unexpectedly?"

He laughed but there wasn't much humour in it. "Oh yeah."

"I'll be okay, I just...miss him. Because in amongst everything, he's still my best friend, and not having seen him in over a month and a half just feels wrong," The blonde sighed.

"Yeah, I was the same when I went for a year without seeing Gwen," Jack sympathised, "Though maybe it wasn't quite the same."

She smiled weakly. "Hey, your relationships are every bit as important as mine, I can't define them."

Giving her a hug around the shoulders, he pressed a quick kiss to the side of her head. "It'll pass and you'll go back to feeling okay. Trust me. And it gets easier with time."

"Thanks Jack. I feel like I should buy you flowers for having to deal with all my crap," Aliya joked, and he chuckled as he walked off back to his office.

She stared after him for a moment and had just gotten up to get back to work when another figure stepped out from the office area. Marion's expression made it obvious that she'd witnessed the entire exchange.

"You're pathetic, you know that?"

For a moment Aliya just let herself be surprised, before her chin tilted up a little and she replied, "Yes, actually. Though I don't see how it's any of your business."

"It's my business when your moping happens all the time around the workplace," Marion retorted, "If you want to feel sorry for yourself, do it at home in your own time, and stop bringing Jack down with you."

"I don't mean to, I just-"

"And don't make excuses for yourself. Clearly you're like this because something in your life isn't going right, but if you spent half the time that you usually do feeling down about it into working on a way to fix the problem, I imagine you'd almost be there by now," Marion informed her firmly, her dark eyes fierce, "Because I was raised to take control of my problems and work through them, and it's easy to feel sorry for yourself, but it's hard to find a solution to your problems on your own."

"You make it sound so simple," Aliya muttered disbelievingly, "This problem doesn't have an elegant solution, trust me, I've looked and looked."

"I didn't say it had to be elegant, I said it had to work. The only solution might not be one you like, but there is always something. If I've learned one thing, it's that there is always something." With that Marion shot her one last disgusted look before heading off back to the workspaces, leaving Aliya feeling as if she had been slapped across the face. And yet...also as if she'd had some sense smacked into her as well.

She couldn't continue like this. Her problem had two sides. There was the fact that she was in love, and the fact that the man she was in love with didn't love her back. Erasing one of the two sides would solve the problem.

Of course, the side of him not loving her wasn't going anywhere because he was married to a woman who he adored more than the universe itself most of the time.

Which left her feelings. Her solution would have to involve her losing them, or at least lessening them. But how? It wasn't as if she had wanted them in the first place, she would have gotten rid of them in a heartbeat if she could.

The solution wasn't going to be immediate, or as Marion had stated, necessarily pleasant. But it was, Aliya realised, utterly necessary because continuing the way she was would not only permanently damage her relationship with the Doctor, but also impact her ability to fall in love with someone who might actually love her in return.

* * *

"What did I say, the black lace looks _hot _under that white."

Jack was eyeing Aliya appreciatively after she had succumbed to his wish of her wearing the white tank top over the lacy black bra he had picked out for her several weeks back.

"Good to know," She said impatiently, "Can I take it off now?"

"If you mean your shirt or those delightfully tight jeans, then sure thing, Alibear," Jack flirted, and she flushed.

"I don't think seduction will work when I'm sober, Jack."

Jack reached out and pulled her to him by one of the belt loops at her waist. "Don't be so sure. Brace yourself, Ali, 'cause I'm going to kiss you now," He warned before pulling the Time Lady into one of his very enjoyable kisses. When he broke it off, she jumped back so that she was sat on the table and pulled him closer by the suspenders, this time kissing him, firmly and deeply. It was some time before they broke apart, and he laughed a little. "You feeling alright?"

"You said that I could use you as a kissing distraction," Aliya reminded him with a small laugh, "So that's exactly what I'm doing."

He laughed with her and stepped between her knees so that he was closer, cupping her face momentarily before leaning down again and giving her a long, passionate, breath-taking kiss that could turn even the most composed person into putty in his hands. Sure enough, when he finally realised her, she was staring at him with a sort of reverence.

"Wow," She breathed, "I feel like I should be paying for kisses like that, just…wow."

"Ali, you don't get a sexual reputation like mine without earning it," Jack smirked against her ear, and she grinned. "And be honest, after that kiss, you are wondering just what the whole package would be like." When he pulled back from her, sure enough, she was blushing and pointedly avoiding his eye as she got off the desk.

"I think we've heard enough about your package, Jack," She joked, dipping to the floor to retrieve her shoes.

"You've never heard enough about my package!" He called out as she left the office. Despite her lack of reply, he could hear her laughter even as she got further away.

* * *

"Jack, we've got an incoming," Esther suddenly called out one evening, "It's a spaceship, except somehow it's gotten through the atmosphere without our scanners picking it up. But everyone in Cardiff is going to see it if we can't contact them."

Jack was at her side in a heartbeat and examining the readings. "It's a galaxy class ship judging by the size, but there isn't anyone in this galaxy that makes those kind of ships. Can you get me onto their frequency?"

"Shouldn't be too hard," Esther got typing, and within a minute Jack was giving her a thumbs up and walking off with his hand to his ear where his communicator was.

"This is Torchwood broadcasting to unidentified Galaxy Class, do you copy?" It was like being an officer in World War II again for him, and he was rather good at dealings with unfamiliar aliens who were trying to come to Earth. Usually.

For a few moments there was no reply, but then a chirpy female voice came back through the device. _"This is Herria 256 Galaxy Class receiving you, what can I do for you?" _

Jack made an amused face at the others and almost laughed as he replied, "Actually, we were hoping you could follow our coordinates so that you land in the countryside. This is a Level 5 planet, life on other planets isn't an accepted idea yet."

_"Sure thing! Don't want to cause any trouble." _

"Alright then," Jack grinned, "We're sending them through now. We'll meet you there."

_"They've just come through, looks like I'll be seeing you soon." _

"I look forward to it."

There was just laughter on the other end before she disconnected. He looked up to find Aliya smirking a little, "What?"

"Just admiring how you can't get through a professional conversation without attempting to flirt."

"She didn't seem to mind."

* * *

"Now, I don't think that we need everyone…Rex, you're good to have around, Ali, you're our alien expert, and Gwen, my right hand woman, how about it?"

Jack looked around and found his three proposed people all nodding in agreement. Esther hadn't glanced up from her work, clearly used to staying at the Hub while the others went out. However, Marion was staring at her intently as she leaned over her desk.

"Just me and you then, huh, Esther?" She said, lifting an eyebrow and giving the other woman a slightly ironic grin. "Should we throw a party while they're gone?"

Glancing up for a moment and looking slightly taken by surprise at being addressed, Esther slowly said, "Yeah, sure," in a very unconvincing manner despite the small smile she tried to put with it. Aliya had realised over the two months she had been at Torchwood that Marion made Esther a little uneasy, and that the two women weren't exactly close. It wasn't hard to believe, they had almost opposite personalities in many respects.

Marion appeared pleased with the result of her teasing and turned on her high heel to head back into the med bay. Used to such exchanges, the rest of the team made ready to leave for the countryside where they had directed the incoming ship.

* * *

The SUV skidded to a halt once they were rather close to the small pillars of smoke nearby, and the two thirds of the Torchwood team piled out of it to make their way towards the huge ship which seemed to not have had the smoothest landing.

"That bit there looks like it could be the cockpit," Jack suggested, leading over to a section near the front of the smoking and rather battered ship. "Hey, anyone there?"

He received no reply, and Rex had his gun ready while the others just kept cautious. They were about to think about searching a different part of the ship when a large bang echoed from a nearby door, followed by what sounded like muffled cursing. A few seconds later, the door creaked open about a foot, and a person managed to squeeze through the gap and fall out onto the panel of the ship.

"Are you okay?" Aliya asked quickly, concerned, but the young woman was already back on her feet and grinning at them. Dirt smudges covered her face, and with her khaki pants, dark boots, and black tank top, she seemed like someone who could hold her own against enemies. With that being said, she was very young, only appearing in her early twenties by human stands, and it only emphasised by her blond ponytail and bright, youthful eyes.

"I'm great," She said, and they recognised her voice as the one who had been conversing with Jack earlier. "So who are you lot, then? Immigration?"

Jack and Aliya laughed but the other two didn't look so amused. "Try border security," The team leader suggested, and the newcomer nodded.

"Well I'm just travelling around, trying to find my family, so I can promise that I'm not going to be any trouble," She told them, still relatively cheerful, "Is that okay?"

"Of course," Aliya nodded, "What's your name?"

"Oh, right. I'm Jenny."

* * *

**Oooh! ;) Will Aliya realise straight away that this Jenny is the Doctor's Jenny that he told her about, or will she be oblivious to the similarities? **

**I _will _try and update soon because of this, and because of how much I want to write Jenny, hopefully that combined with my new writing plan (and I mean my plan to improve the actual amount I write), will make that possible. **

**Now, I know it's not my best chapter, but it does cover some important things, such as more of the Jaliya friendship, a hint at how Rex and Aliya get along, and a better idea of how Marion fits into the whole picture. So if you guys could let me know your thoughts on that stuff in a review, that would be awesome. **

**Love you guys! **

**-MayFairy :) **


	48. Jenny

**I actually do have a good excuse for this one. I have been swamped with the Sound of Music, because production week has just passed so it has been all dress rehearsals to all hours and then the actual shows, so I have had no time. But now, that is over and once I catch up with my school work, I should be back on top of this! :) I already miss it though...being Mother Abbess was awesome...no more 'How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria', 'Favourite Things' or 'Climb Every Mountain' for me... :( **

**Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter: Arinlianette, OptimisticLivvy, Spirit-of-the-Rain, TheGirlWhoImagined, Mrs. 11th, ZackAttack96, Caligo Origuu, AmandaDesiree, Mrs N, and Guest! :)**

**Anonymous review replies will be at the bottom. :) **

**Though, some of you guys don't seem to realise that Marion isn't _supposed _to be likable... XD **

**And now we get to see Jenny! I am excited about this because I just adore Jenny. Hope you guys like my take on her return, because her turning up at Torchwood has been done countless times, but hopefully this one is quite different. Enjoy! **

* * *

"Welcome to Earth, Jenny."

"Thanks!"

The two blondes exchanged smiles. Meanwhile, Jack cleared his throat.

"Now, we do kind of have this policy for offworlders claiming to come in peace, where we require a physiology scan and for you to answer a few more of our questions," He told Jenny, who looked a little confused.

"Why?"

"Because we don't know if you're telling the truth!" Rex rolled his eyes irritably.

"But I am!" Jenny then sighed. "You lot are more like soldiers than I thought."

"We're the only defence Earth really has, so we like to be careful who we let roam free," Gwen said, and just before she finished her sentence, Jack had snuck behind Jenny and clamped some high tech binders on her wrists.

"Oi! I would have come with you!" Jenny protested, while Aliya was conflicted.

"Jack, is this really necessary?"

He had the decency to shoot both her and Jenny apologetic glances. "Sorry, aliens are getting too good at lying, we can't risk it."

* * *

Aliya made sure to stick close to the newcomer who clearly wasn't receiving the welcome she had been expecting.

"For what it's worth, I believe you," She told Jenny, who smiled with obvious relief, "But unfortunately I don't have much authority here. But I won't let them do anything to you, it should just be a scan."

Jenny grinned despite her predicament. "Thanks. I'm not too worried, I've been in worse situations than this. And anyway, I know I've got nothing to hide."

"I know."

"How?"

Aliya chuckled. "Alright, I don't know, but you just...seem familiar somehow. It's stupid really, since I know that I've never seen you before."

"Well you seem a little familiar too, but my brain's probably just telling me that because you're the only friendly face around here," Jenny reasoned.

* * *

The physiology scan didn't take very long, and while they waited for the results, Jenny was to be interrogated. After reasoning with Jack and the team that as the alien expert it made sense for Aliya to interrogate Jenny so that the girl didn't feel too much as if she were under attack, with surprising support from Marion, Aliya had led Jenny down into one of the interrogation rooms.

"So, you're here to look for your family?" Aliya prompted, and Jenny nodded earnestly.

"Well just my dad really, but yeah, that's the idea."

"Do you know where he is?"

"No, but I think he comes here sometimes. It's a long shot, but..." The blonde girl shrugged, obviously aware of the chances of her success.

Aliya could sympathise. "If I were in your position, trust me, I'd be doing the same," She assured her. "But I can't help but be curious about your ship...are you aware that it's about 40 centuries out of its time?"

Jenny grinned. "Yeah, I was wondering if you lot might notice that. Though I haven't seen many spaceships around, how did you know? You got the time exactly right, how could you know the workmanship of something in the future?"

Elusively, but with a smile, Aliya quietly said, "Everyone has their secrets," She was sure to keep the volume at a level which was low enough that no one watching the security feed heard it. "Where did you get the ship?"

Jenny's expression was a little impish. "I stole it." Then she seemed to think about it and corrected herself. "Well I borrowed it, I suppose I'll take it back if I can."

At that, Aliya had to laugh. "You remind me of someone I know."

"Someone good, hopefully?" Jenny joked.

"Someone very good," Aliya gently smiled at the thought of her best friend. "What I really meant was, that did you find that ship in the 21st century, or did you bring it here?"

"I guess I brought it here."

"How?"

"Saved the skin of an old Time Agent, convinced him to part with his vortex manipulator," Jenny explained rather proudly, "But it was old and not as reliable as it could be. I didn't want to risk jumping 40 centuries and 6 galaxies on it, so I wired it into the ship instead."

Aliya couldn't help but be impressed. "How did you know what to do?"

"I figured the ship out months ago, and the manipulator sort of just fit-"

They were at that moment interrupted by Marion, who leaned in through the door. "Jack wants you upstairs. Says that something in the bio scan might be of interest to you."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Aliya raised an eyebrow, only for Marion to shrug and roll her eyes.

"Take it up with him."

"What about Jenny?"

Marion say down in one of the other chairs. "I'll stay with her," She sent what seemed to be a genuine smile at Jenny, who hesitantly returned it.

Aliya hovered between them and the door before nodding and heading up the main Hub, a little surprised at Marion being amiable. When she saw everyone else at their computers and Jack absent, she shot a questioning glance at Esther, who silently indicated to the med bay.

Sure enough, Jack was in there, looking at an image projected against the usually blank stone wall. But the image itself forced her to do a double take.

"Jack, when the hell did you scan me?" She demanded as she eyed the two hearts imprinted on the blank humanoid form.

With a strange grin, he answered, "I didn't."

"I don't understand," Aliya said slowly, somehow feeling that she was about to be hit with a bombshell.

"This scan is Jenny's."

Her mouth fell open and for a moment all she could do was stand and stare at him.

Then she was at the computer, wordlessly flicking through all of the readings. Her eyes skimmed over the DNA, the chemical makeup, the binary vascular system, and the element which the computer couldn't properly measure or even identify, though she knew it to be artron energy. Her own hearts pounded against her rib cage like a pair of drums in her chest.

"That's not possible," She automatically said as she straightened to meet Jack's gaze, which was patient and confident. It was that confidence in his findings that forced her brain into action.

After that, it took less than two seconds for all the random pieces to click into place.

Two hearts. Gallifreyan physiology.

_"I'm Jenny." _

_"I'm looking for my family." - "...well, just my dad, really." _

She had noticed and commented on the similarities between the two herself!

_"Well, I suppose I borrowed it, I'll take it back if I can." _

_"Her name was Jenny." - "She was born out of a progination machine on Messaline, when they took a tissue sample off my hand." - "She died."_

Aliya stood, frozen, hand clapped over her mouth as the truth of her realisation set in. "She's his daughter."

"Who's daughter?" It was obvious that he knew who she was implying, but didn't want to jump at what she was saying. Aliya felt a strange manic energy fill her, like she couldn't breathe properly but wanted to run a marathon. "_His _daughter, the Doctor's daughter! He told me about her, how she was grown from just a few cells from his hand. Only he said that she had died the same day she was born, and _clearly _she's very much alive!"

"Are you sure?" Jack didn't do a good job of burying his excitement.

She abruptly nodded. "It does fit perfectly. Because her physiology is undoubtedly Gallifreyan, but it also doesn't quite match up. There's no trace of any regeneration energy in her system, which means that she's never regenerated. But she has two hearts. We grow our second heart when we regenerate for the first time, which she hasn't done yet. But being a clone...that could explain it."

"Well, that's great, isn't it?" Jack asked with a grin and she slowly smiled back, nodding. "I mean, now the universe has three Time Lords instead of two."

Aliya couldn't help but frown at his wording and correct it instantly. "She's not exactly a Time Lord. Gallifreyan, yes, but a Time Lord is someone who looked into the Untempered Schism and saw the Time Vortex itself, someone who studied a code of knowledge and chose a title for themselves. No matter what biology she has, a Time Lord is something she isn't."

Jack lifted an eyebrow at how adamantly she had spoken. "Well whatever she is, you're the closest thing she has to a kinswoman."

"I _am _her kinswoman. And since she's obviously no longer a threat, we can take those binders off of her and let her either go on her way or stay with me," Aliya could already feel her maternal instinct rising within her as she thought about the girl in the lower levels.

"If she's the Doctor's daughter, she's welcome here," He agreed, "Might as well tell her the good news."

Practically running, Aliya dashed back to where Jenny was and found the blonde girl deep in discussion with Marion about other worlds. What was surprising was how raptly the latter was listening. Aliya hovered in the doorway and listened to Jenny recount one of her adventures with a passion that only her father could rival.

Perhaps...if she couldn't be around the Doctor, she could spend some time with his daughter.

Meanwhile, Marion was making earnest and curious inquiries until she realised that there was another person back in the room. Once she did, she quickly stood up and held herself in her usual proud way. "She's got some good stories," The dark haired woman said with a smirk before looking back at the blonde girl, "See you around, Princess." Smiling at Jenny, she walked out.

Aliya watched her go. "Princess?" She asked Jenny with amusement, and the girl just shrugged good-naturedly. "It's weird; she actually seems to like you. She doesn't really like anyone, and those are her own words."

"Really?" Jenny seemed genuinely surprised. "She was really nice."

"Well, nice is not a word I've seen applied to her before," The older of the two leant back against the door. "You know it's lucky that we took that scan. We might have let you walk out of here and have never seen you again."

"I don't understand."

Stretching out her hand, Aliya offered her fellow Gallifreyan a gentle smile. "I want you to come outside with me so that we can talk without them watching."

Jenny shot her a look somewhere between curiosity and suspicion. "Why?"

"Because I know exactly who you are, and I want to help you."

* * *

Once they had ignored the stares of everyone in the Hub and taken the lift up to the Roald Dahl Pass, the two blondes walked to the wharf in silence until Jenny couldn't hold in her questions any longer.

"If you know who I am, does that mean you know my-"

"Father, yes," The woman who was called Aliya said, nodding.

Excitement began to build in Jenny's chest. Someone who knew her dad! Perhaps finally, after three years, she could find him. "How do you know him?"

A wry smile played on Aliya's lips. "He's...well...he's my best friend."

"That's great, though, isn't it? That means you know where he is!" Jenny grinned, only to falter when the other woman's expression became slightly bashful.

"Jenny, your dad didn't tell me much about you - mostly because he thinks you're dead and therefore doesn't like talking about it," She explained with a sigh. The information wasn't surprising for Jenny, considering all that had happened on Messaline, he hardly would have left her behind if he had thought she were alive. "But I got the gist that you two only really knew each other for less than a day."

"Two or three hours actually," Jenny admitted, and Aliya gave her a sympathetic smile.

"That only reinforces my point," Aliya continued, "Because there's something you have to understand about him. He's the _Doctor _-" Jenny didn't quite get why her father's peculiar name needed the emphasis she gave it, "-which means that he's wonderful, and a hero," Her eyes were full of affection as she spoke, only for them to mellow out a little, "But he's a traveller in the fourth - and fifth - dimension. And pretty much the most difficult person in the universe in the universe to pin down."

"The fourth and fifth dimension...time and space, right? People knew a bit about it in the 61st century but I could just tell that they didn't really ..." Jenny trailed off and shrugged. Unexpectedly, the older woman laughed.

"Understand it? Of course not, they're only human," She said smugly.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Jenny knew that she herself wasn't human, but she'd never seen that as a reason for her to be more or less than them or anyone else. Yet this woman's tone suggested that humans were...inferior?

"Humans will never be able to do anything more than scratch the surface of comprehending anything greater than three dimensions," Aliya gave a tiny shrug. Jenny opened her mouth, but before her question could be released, she was interrupted. "And the reason that the concept is easier for you is because you're Gallifreyan."

"Is that my species?" Aliya nodded. "But my dad said he was a Time Lord."

"Time Lords are Gallifreyans, though not all Gallifreyans are Time Lords," Aliya explained, "You didn't go through any of the rituals that make one a Time Lord, but you are the daughter of one, so you are a Gallifreyan."

"So which are you?"

"I'm a Time Lord. Well, Time Lady, technically."

Jenny felt a little disappointed. Being different to her father's and this woman who was his friend wasn't something she liked the idea of. "So we're not the same?"

As if knowing exactly what she was thinking, Aliya's expression softened and she reached out to put her hands on Jenny's shoulders. "We're the same in all the ways that matter."

Reassured, Jenny smiled hopefully. "So will you help me find my dad?" The older woman's face dropped a little as she slowly shook her head.

"I have absolutely no idea where he is," She began, and then gave Jenny a tight smile, "But he's coming back here to pick me up after - at some point. We just have to be patient."

"But how long will that take?"

"With him, it could be two days or half a year. But I talked to Jack and he said that you're welcome to stay here as long as you like. Torchwood could use another alien expert."

Jenny felt a new ripple of confusion. "Why would he trust me? He didn't look like he did before."

Aliya chuckled. "He knows the Doctor as well. Which means he knows that no child of the Doctor's would have any intentions of harming anyone," Aliya shrugged, "Not unless it was under extreme circumstances, anyway."

_A soldier would never assume something like that, _Jenny's military voice told her, _But it's nice to meet some people who are trusting. They're like Dad. They believe in me. _

"And could you teach me?" Jenny asked bashfully. "About our people? Our planet?"

"Gallifrey," Aliya said pointedly, smiling, "You were lucky to not have to grow up there."

The blonde girl frowned a little. "But you make it sound like something to be proud of."

A shadow crossed Aliya's face. "It may have bred some incredible individuals, like your father, but Gallifrey was corrupt, for which it and its people all burned," She said darkly, and for the first time, Jenny saw a trace of the enormous age which she had once seen in her father. How long did Gallifreyans live for, if their eyes held so much?

"My dad said that they all died in a war."

"Same difference."

Confusion and horror rose in Jenny's chest. "I don't understand, how can you talk about your own people dying like you're happy about it?!"

"Happy?" Aliya bitterly laughed, eyes smouldering with indignance, "Collectively they were pompous arseholes who were blinded by their own magnificence, and I hate them. But individually they were my family and my friends, and I can't stop mourning them." Her fingers lightly touched her temples thoughtfully as though she could hear them talking to her in her head.

Jenny felt sympathy for her older counterpart. "It must be hard. Not to mention confusing."

Aliya cracked a smile at that. "Just believe me when I say that you are lucky. You missed being screwed up by the whole thing."

"You seem to be doing okay. Defending this planet and all," Jenny reminded, and succeeded in getting a proper smile out of Aliya.

"I suppose so," She laughed, "Just trying to be useful. And Jack is good company."

"Yeah," Jenny knew how unsure she sounded, but forced herself to ask the question which had been nagging at her since she had initially met the Torchwood team. "What's wrong with him? And the other blonde? They're just so..."

"Wrong? Unnatural?" Aliya guessed, and when Jenny answered in the affirmative, she nodded understandingly. Did she almost seem...proud?

"I couldn't explain it, but it's like I didn't even want to look at them, they just felt off," Jenny said earnestly.

"It's because you're Time-sensitive. Due to several incidents I won't go into, mostly because I don't know the details, they're immortal. Truly immortal. That makes them a fixed point in time. That's never supposed to happen, not to a person. And we can sense it, just how _wrong _they are," Aliya explained with a sigh, "But trust me, it gets easier. It doesn't really bother me now, you just have to adjust and remind yourself to focus on the person instead."

"Being Gallifreyan seems complicated," Jenny said, grinning, "But I'm loving it."

"Good, because it's only going to get worse."

* * *

Jack had been all too happy to accept Jenny as another addition of sorts to the team.

"As long as she's technically your assistant," He grinned, "If you're half as good as your dad, you'll be fine, Jenny."

"Thanks," Jenny grinned back at him, and felt herself getting rather excited at the prospect of spending time working towards the greater good while getting to spend time with two people who knew her father very well. What could be better?

* * *

"So you're sticking around?"

Upon hearing Marion's voice, both Aliya and Jenny started and spun around to find her eyeing them with what appeared to be amusement.

"Yeah, I am," Jenny said, smiling a little, "That alright?"

"As long as you don't get in my way too much," The words were typical of Marion but she was - to Aliya's surprise - actually smiling at Jenny.

"I'll try not to. I think I'll mostly be in Aliya's way anyway."

"Jenny!"

At Jack's call, the young blonde gave a little wave and raced off. Once she was gone, Aliya glanced at Marion and narrowed her eyes.

"Look, I don't know what your game is, but I won't have you building Jenny up just so that you can pull her down," Aliya told her fiercely, already protective over her friend's daughter.

Marion's pleasant demeanour had vanished along with Jenny and was then replaced with a slightly cruel smirk. "You might find it hard to believe, _Alibear-" _The blonde glared at the nickname, "-but I actually like her. I have no intention of pulling her down or doing anything like that."

"You don't like anyone," Aliya argued indignantly, "You told me so yourself."

"Perhaps you're just jealous that she has my respect and you don't, and might I add that this attempt to argue with me is not helping your case in the slightest." The smirk on the human's face made Aliya draw herself up to her full height, her Time Lord pride inflating. Unfortunately, the other woman still had several inches on her.

"You know nothing about who I am Marion, I don't need the opinion of a self-righteous vindictive bitch who delights in bringing others down a peg, because it changes nothing about who I am," She spat.

Marion's face darkened with anger. "You know _nothing_ about me, don't you _dare _presume anything about me for a second!" She stormed off back to the medbay, and as she did so, Aliya felt her shoulders deflate along with her good mood.

With a heavy sigh, Aliya sat at her desk and got back to her work in an attempt to block negative thoughts out.

* * *

"River! River! I made a thing!"

River Song looked up from her magazine to see her husband bounding into sight like an overexcited puppy. In his hands was a contraption that looked like...well she really couldn't come up with anything remotely similar.

"Lovely, sweetie," She said encouragingly, and then frowned a little, "But what does it actually do?"

He frowned at that, and scratched his cheek thoughtfully with his free hand. "Well, er, I dunno...why does it have to do anything?" His voice became defensive. "It doesn't _have_ to do anything! Don't ruin my thing, River!" He pouted, and she had to sigh and shake her head at him. After opening her mouth to argue with him, she changed her mind and instead just went back to her magazine. His gaze could be felt, and she waited until he put down the contraption into her beach bag and sat down next to her.

"You finished?" She smiled at him, and a moment later he smiled back and shuffled closer to nuzzle against her side.

"Sorry, you know how it is, new contraptions, quite exciting," He grinned his childish grin again and at that she had to shut the magazine and lean on his shoulder.

"Yes, sweetie, I know," River assured him affectionately, "Believe me, I'm respecting the thing." At that he paused and looked down at her curiously.

"You haven't done the Byzantium yet, have you?" He asked, and she blankly shook her head.

"No, why?"

The Doctor smiled and let himself privately enjoy the irony of what she had said in relation of what he had once said - would say to her. "No reason."

His wife merely hummed contently and let the two of them lie back on the warm sand. They were in the Bahamas, or was it Hawaii? He couldn't remember, and it wasn't as if it particularly mattered. He was on a beautiful beach with his equally beautiful and bikini-clad wife. What could be better?

* * *

Several weeks later, when he met up with her on Selderon, they were taken in by the local authority for indecent exposure.

"This is all your fault," The Doctor grumbled, doing his best to be cross.

"How is it my fault?"

"Because you decided that the local forest was as good a place as any for a quick shag!"

River threw her magnificent head of hair back and laughed heartily at that. "I didn't hear you complaining, sweetie, on the contrary you seemed to very much agree with me after a bit of persuasion."

He frowned. "Yes, exactly, persuasion!" He pointed his finger at her accusingly. "You…you _coerced_ me into this!"

"Oh really?" She lifted an eyebrow and slowly made her way towards him.

Seeing the way that her golden curls of hair caught the light as she passed the cell window, he gulped. "Yes. But it was still, er, very nice. Before we were interrupted."

River chuckled and sat in his lap, kissing him softly. Despite knowing that they weren't in the best place for romantic interludes, he let his hands loose themselves in her hair as he pulled her to him and kissed her back.

* * *

Jenny had very quickly taken to Captain Jack Harkness. Never in her three years of her life had she met somebody with his charisma, except for perhaps her father. But even then, the Doctor lacked Jack's flirtatious charm, being her father and all.

Although, Jack didn't flirt with her as much as he flirted with everyone else he met and interacted with. Mostly because he seemed to get more entertainment out of flirting with Aliya.

When she asked the Time Lady about it, she got the answer, "Jack doesn't flirt with you too much because he knows how much the Doctor would tear into him for it if he found out. I'm a safer bet, and closer to his age too. You are only three, after all."

Jenny puffed her chest out a little. "I'm not a child!"

"No, but compared to me and Jack, everyone here is," Aliya told her gently. "Now do you want to analyse the genetic make-up of a Whifferdill or not?"

And of course, she did.

* * *

"Try again," Aliya said patiently, and the blonde girl nodded before frowning in concentration.

"_Hello, my name is Jenny," _She said in slow, hesitant, but correct Gallifreyan, and Aliya grinned and clapped her hands.

"Good job, you just need speed and confidence, but that will come with time."

"It just sounds silly, because I am speaking in Gallifreyan, but then I just say 'Jenny'…it's not a very Gallifreyan name," Jenny sighed, and the other woman frowned for a moment before brightening.

"Well, you were called Jenny because of your being an anomaly, right? You were different, and a surprise to even exist?"

"I suppose, yeah," Jenny said unsurely.

"Then…_Vismayari,_" Aliya murmured, and then looked at Jenny with bright, proud eyes. "How do you like that?"

"I…" The blonde girl was unsure. "I don't know. What does it mean?"

"_Vismaya _is a surprise, one that was thought to not be possible…and your grandmother was called Mariakanelyari, so it seems fitting for you to have a bit of her name," She explained with a nostalgic smile.

"Was she nice? My grandmother?"

Aliya nodded. "She was your father's mother and she was the loveliest Time Lady that I ever met. If you want to keep the name, though don't feel that you have to, you should be proud to share even a small part of the name of such a great woman."

"No, I like it. It seems…right. _Vismayari,_" Jenny repeated the name and enjoyed how it felt flowing from her tongue. It resonated in her a little. "Thanks."

"I'll probably shorten it to Maya when we're talking in Gallifreyan, if you're not opposed to nicknames."

"No, that sounds good." Jenny grinned at her father's best friend and felt very glad that she had been lucky enough to find her. "_Vismayari _it is."

* * *

"What are they even doing?!"

Rex's voice, as usual when discussing anything to do with Aliya, was irritated, much to Esther's exasperation. But she wagered that the strong mutual dislike between Rex and Aliya was not something going to fixed easily - or indeed ever.

"Why does it concern you, Matheson?" Marion drawled as she and Gwen appeared next to the coffee machine they were standing around. It was a perfect spot to spy on the workstations, which was what they were doing, as Aliya and Jenny were sitting there, heads together and deep in discussion.

"Because I don't trust her."

Gwen's eyes widened. "Really, Rex?" She asked with mock surprise. "I never knew that." Esther and Marion laughed, for the Welshwoman's accent made it all the more amusing.

"Yeah, Rex, she may not like you either, but I'm pretty sure she at least trusts you a bit," Esther put in, but Rex just rolled his eyes.

"Do I look like I care what she thinks?"

"You actually seem to care a lot about what she is thinking about," Marion just smirked when he turned his glare onto her.

"I don't think I asked your opinion, Narke," He snapped, only for her to lean in closer and seize him up for a moment before just smiling antagonistically again.

"Does anyone ever?" She said, and with that turned away and started to make herself some coffee. Rex also left, seemingly rather angry at what had been said.

After a slightly awkward silence, Gwen said, "Well I think it's nice that they're getting along so well. She's always been a little detached, but not with Jenny."

"I still don't think I'm entirely sure who this Jenny girl is," Esther mused as she shifted her gaze back to the other two blondes, who had once again gotten deep back into a discussion the others couldn't hear.

"A daughter of a mutual friend, Jack said," Gwen told her, "He's never been helpful with specifics. Unless it's..." She trailed off, as if something occurred to her. Although she looked somewhat enlightened, she quickly shut it off and acted as though nothing had changed. "But she must be good if she is being let in at her age."

"And Marion actually likes her," Esther said, still not quite believing it.

"You make it sound so surprising," Marion had appeared behind them again, and she grinned. "I don't hate everybody, you know."

"No, you're just indifferent about everybody."

"Not everybody," Marion glanced at Esther, "I like you. I like Gwen. And now I like Jenny too."

Esther wasn't sure she had heard correctly. "You like me?" She inquired as she eyed the taller dark haired woman.

"Is it so hard to believe?" Marion's lips twitched, and then she laughed to herself and walked away, towards the entrance to the lower levels.

After a few seconds of comprehending it, something else occurred to Esther. "Wait, does this mean that she doesn't like Jack?" She and Gwen shared confused looks. "Who doesn't like Jack?" Both of them stared after their teammate, before Gwen shrugged and grinned.

"Fancy that," She said, sounding pleasantly surprised, "Somebody who doesn't like Jack likes us. How's that for a new development?"

Esther just laughed. "Well, when you put it like that, yeah. Go us, I guess."

* * *

**Hope you liked it! Yes, Marion was a little more likeable in this chapter, but don't count on that lasting. :P **

**Aliya and Jenny's relationship is going to be rather important, so hopefully you guys liked! Can't wait to know your thoughts in reviews, guys! **

**Love you all, **

**-MayFairy :)**

Anonymous Review Replies:

_AmandaDesiree - _Thanks for the review, glad to see that you're excited to have Jenny back. :)

_Mrs N - _It's absolutely fine that you didn't review every chapter, this is SUPER long so it's perfectly understandable! So happy that you love it so far. Thanks for the review!

_Guest - _Your review actually made me kick my butt into gear and finish this as I have had half of this chapter ready for weeks now...lol, glad to know that you like Jaliya, I know that I love it! Still, as to what will be endgame...well. Thanks for the review, I really appreciate it! :)


	49. Uncomfortable Truths

**Wait, an update in less than a month? An update in less than a week? Are there flying pigs outside? :P **

**This chapter just flowed very well, and some scenes actually took on such a life of their own (*cough* Marion, Rex and Jenny, I am blaming you right now! *cough*) that some other, less essential scenes had to be cut and moved to other places in the story so that this didn't get too long. **

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter (not that there was as much time to do so): loulouflowerpower, Spirit-of-the-Rain, OptimisticLivvy, Caligo Origuu, GeoRach, Emma, and Mrs. 11th! :) You're all amazing. **

**Now, as a warning, from here on, though not _quite _as much in this chapter, the next three chapters are going to be pretty much entirely angst. Particularly the next one. At this point you are probably thinking, 'what? it's going to get even _more _angst?', lol, so I am sorry about that, but yes. **

**Still, there are a lot of things in this chapter that I am really happy with in terms of how they turned out, so hopefully you all enjoy! :D **

* * *

"Is Jenny asleep?"

At Jack's question, Aliya stirred from her random internal musings, and turned away from the glass windows which overlooked the rest of the Hub.

"I think so," She answered, "One week since she arrived, and no major disasters. We're doing well, I think."

"You sound surprised," Jack observed as he poured himself a glass of vodka.

Her lips twitched involuntarily. "With her genetics, I thought that she might have inherited _his _knack for magnetising trouble. But nothing out of ordinary has happened, so perhaps not. Do I get some of that?" Even though he had already taken a sip, he offered her the glass for her to drink a little, make a face, and hand it back. "And she was fine with taking the couch."

"You Gallifreyan girls seem to not mind too much about where you sleep," He said, before he drained the rest of the glass. "So, what do you want to do tonight?"

"Would it be strange if I felt like moving, staying on my toes? Weirdly energetic."

"Dancing?"

Aliya smiled wryly. "You know, maybe."

"_Dirty _dancing?" He waggled his eyebrows at her and began to sway his hips suggestively. She just stared blankly. "You know, like the movie!"

"What movie?"

Jack's eyes widened with disbelief before excitement took him over. "Okay, I know what we're doing tonight. I'm going to go out and grab it from the rental store, I'll be back in twenty minutes. Don't you move!" He grinned and left with nothing more than a wink.

With no idea what had just happened, Aliya sat down in his chair and stared at the vodka bottle thoughtfully before refilling the empty glass and drinking it with more confidence than before.

When he returned, she was giggling to herself and spinning in circles on his swivel chair. "I may have had more of that vodka than was sensible," She admitted the moment his eyes rested on her.

"I hope I'm not turning you into an alcoholic," He said, and used a remote to reveal a television and DVD player built into the wall behind one of the office panels.

"You're not," Aliya assured him, "So what is this movie, exactly?"

"It's _Dirty Dancing_, classic movie, you're gonna love it," Jack put in the disk and then indicated for her to get out of the chair. He sat in it and then pulled her onto his lap, earning a surprised yelp from her.

"And if I don't?" She shifted so that she was comfortably leaning into his side.

"Not possible."

* * *

An hour and forty minutes later, Aliya was laughing and clapping as the movie credits rolled.

"That was amazing!" She exclaimed, and leaned on Jack's shoulder as she had for a majority of the movie. "Thanks for showing me."

"Ah, but I have ulterior motives…" Jack chuckled, "Because now I'm going to ask you if you want to give it a try."

"Give what a try?" She murmured, too busy inhaling his pheromones to think straight.

"Dirty dancing."

She straightened up and eyed him for a moment before her face split into a mischievous grin. "Alright then." With only a few seconds of fuss, she was off him and holding her hand out. He took it and stood.

"Hope you know what you just signed up for, Alibear," He smirked, and pulled her into a dance, using the music from the credits. Not prepared for suddenly being so close to him, her breath caught, which only seemed to please him.

Their initial steps were small as they fell into the rhythm of the music, Jack's hands making sure her hips stayed close to his, while her eyes shifted from them to his face, and she hesitantly smiled as she got used to the strange type of dancing.

"You okay?" He whispered in her ear. Quickly, she nodded.

"Yeah, it's nice, I mean, it-" She shakily laughed and blushed as she smiled up at him, "-it feels…good."

"Of course it does," said Jack cockily, and he kept one hand firmly on her waist while the other came up to support her back as he dipped her backwards. She let out a noise that was half-laugh and half-squeal, and let her head fall back, giving him access to run his nose along the line of her neck.

He left kisses there, and as he drew her back to an upright position, he got to her mouth and gently left two kisses on it. Her eyes fluttered shut, her hands curling around his waist and pulling them together. When he leant his head away, she countered it by pushing her head forward to kiss him before he was out of her reach. As he quickly lifted her off the floor to be held against his body instead, she shifted her hands to grab onto his blue suspenders.

"Well that escalated quickly," She said against his lips with a breathy grin.

"Problem?"

Aliya looked up at him with amusement and affection. "No."

Backing them up against the table, he laid her back on it and pushed up her yellow t-shirt part of the way so that he could run his lips against her stomach. Little did he know that she was ticklish there, and she burst into a fit of giggles.

"You're not making it very easy for me to seduce you here, Aliya," He pretended to scold, and for a moment she went along with it and made an apologetic face before she undid the top button of his shirt and pressed a kiss to the hollow in his collarbone.

"It's not as if you are actually trying to seduce me," said Aliya quietly as she took in another whiff of his pheromones.

"Of course not," He agreed, his hands travelling up her stocking-clad legs to rest at the bottom edge of her denim mini-skirt – which she knew he remembered picking out for her himself. "If I was, these stockings and that skirt would already be on the other side of the room."

She couldn't help but lift an eyebrow at that as she lifted her head to regard him with interest. "Is that so?"

He opened his mouth as if to speak, and then closed it. Then, without warning, he captured her lips in one of his intense kisses that turned her knees to mush and would have resulted in her hitting the floor had she been standing up. Her eyes shut again and her hands wound around his neck. When he finally released her, both were breathing heavily and eyeing each other with slightly darkened eyes. His forehead was resting against hers, and she let him keep it there.

"Why can't we be in love with each other?" Jack whispered, and she felt a dash of surprise before she realised that she had been wondering the same thing for at least two weeks. Her hand trailed across his cheek for a moment before it fell limply down to her side.

"I don't know. Life would be so much easier," She replied, and leant away from him so that there was a few inches between them, "I mean, lord knows that love – particularly love involving Time Lords isn't something born in a manner of weeks. But there's not even…not even a flicker of that kind of emotion, the kind of emotion that love grows from..."

He gave an almost imperceptible nod. "Yeah. Nothing like that here either."

"I'm still in love with the Doctor."

"And…I guess I'm not over Ianto yet either."

Aliya sighed before giving him a small hopeful smile. "Hey, well maybe in 200 years' time we will be over our men and we can meet up again."

He grinned. "I think I'd like that very much, Aliyanadevoralundar. But for now, permission to snog you senseless anyway?"

Chuckling, she nodded and let him kiss her until the troubling thoughts flew away for time being.

And until Jenny walked in.

"Oh, god, sorry!" The youngster exclaimed, causing the two adults to break apart and have the decency to look very embarrassed.

"No, Jenny, I'm sorry," Aliya quickly said, sliding off the table, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, fine, just woke up and thought I would see what you guys were up to…" Jenny smiled awkwardly, "I'll just go."

"No!" Aliya said. "I'll come with you, Jack and I are, um, done anyway." She cringed at her terrible wording. They both said goodbye to Jack and left his office. It wasn't until they were back at the couch in the main part of the Hub that Jenny lifted an eyebrow as she sat back down.

"So you and Jack, huh? I'd guessed…now I'm right," She laughed a little, clearly still awkward, "Sorry again about that."

Aliya shook her head, grinning embarrassedly. "No, honestly, it's absolutely fine. And Jack and I…well, it's probably not what you think, but I can't explain it."

Jenny frowned in confusion. "So you're not…together?"

"Not exactly."

"Why not?"

"I think it's not the best time to get into that now," Aliya hastily said, turning a little pink.

"Sorry," Jenny leaned back against the couch, curling up in the pyjamas and blanket Jack had procured for her, "Just trying to understand. You two seem to fit so well."

With a sigh, Aliya gave in. "No, it's fair enough, I can understand why you're so confused. Jack and I are just friends. We're both in love with other people who can't return our feelings."

"Why not?"

"Because the man Jack is still in love with is dead," Aliya bluntly answered, "And the one that I'm in love with…is in love with and married to somebody else." Considering that the man in question was Jenny's father, she didn't give any more details. She stared pointedly in front of her at the workstations without really seeing them.

"I'm sorry."

"It's hardly your fault."

There was a long silence before Jenny asked, "What is love like?" An even lengthier silence passed before she got an answer.

"Like magic," The Time Lady whispered, and inhaled a deep, shuddering breath while keeping her eyes on her knees. "And you would be far better off asking a happily married person such as Gwen or your stepmother about this."

"My stepmother?"

"Oh, er…" Aliya cursed the fact that she was still a little drunk and saying things too freely. "That's a discussion for another time."

"I'm asking you. Over this last week you've been like a sister to me-"

"Not sister," she interrupted, unable to let the comparison pass due to the incestuous implications it would have due to her past relationship with and current feelings for the girl's father.

"Mother, then." Jenny corrected with a grateful smile, and Aliya felt her eyes get a little teary, as that comparison did not have helpful implications either. "And I want to know how you see it."

"It's…It's like you've been wandering your whole life, and you've been looking for something, but you don't realise it. And then you see that person and think, 'oh, there you are. I never even knew I was looking for you.', and then it all slots into place and life makes sense all of a sudden." Aliya wiped at her eyes as she remembered first meeting the Doctor, meeting young Theta Sigma in the Academy library, charming and kind and wonderful, so full of life and joy and passion. "And it's wonderful. The most wonderful thing there is."

"Then why are you crying? It doesn't seem wonderful for you," Jenny clasped her hand over one of Aliya's, and the older woman looked up at the girl and smiled softly. "Is it because he's in love with someone else and not with you?" When she got a nod as an answer, the girl continued, "Because you know, he might love you back. It's possible to love more than one person at once, you know. I've seen it before, on my travels."

Aliya didn't even let that thought into her head for a moment, because it was dangerous and would be detrimental if she considered it for even a moment. "I know that it is. But not this time, Jenny. But you're right. That's the problem with love, it's two-sided. And if the other person doesn't love you back…well, it's one of the worst things in the universe."

"So love isn't always like magic."

"It's more powerful than anything. It's wonderful and magical and dangerous and destructive and the absolute hardest thing to get rid of when it doesn't want to leave," No more words came out as Aliya's throat got too constricted, and she couldn't keep up with the tears running down her face as she attempted to wipe them away. She was aware of Jenny hugged her from the side, and did her best to compose herself and set a better example for the girl she was trying to look after. "I'm sorry Jenny. Us Time Lords are all rather screwed up. That's what happens when you live for over a thousand years."

Jenny's eyes widened. "You and my dad are over a thousand years old? Will I live that long?"

"Maybe. But a longer life isn't always a better one, you know," She sniffed loudly and grasped the nearby blanket in her hand. "And to completely change the subject, I think it's time for you to try and go back to sleep, you need it."

The blonde girl complied and obediently lay back down on the couch, letting Aliya pull the blanket over her. "It's just, I had a nightmare before."

"Of what?" The older Gallifreyan's face contorted with worry.

"Dying. It hurt, and it scared me, and sometimes I have nightmares about it," Jenny said quietly, and sounded a little ashamed of being so afraid of it.

"Well, you're not going to die again. I'm going to stay right here and make sure no one can hurt you," Aliya assured her, and in that moment she could see Jenny's true age in her eyes for a few moments before her mental age took over again. As something extra, she began to sing Jenny the Gallifreyan lullaby she had sung to her son centuries back, even if she knew that Jenny wouldn't know most of what she was saying. "_Sleep my child, let the shadows in, they will hold you and rock you, sleep my child, you are safe here, here with me, you are safe…" _

Within a minute or two, Jenny's breathing evened and her head stopped moving, letting her mentor know that she was asleep. Aliya smiled gently.

_Wherever you are right now, Theta, I promise you that I'm looking after her until you can do so yourself, _She thought, even though she knew that he couldn't hear her.

And the thought that she was doing something he would approve of and be thankful for made her smile to herself as she kept her promise to Jenny and pulled up a chair to watch over her as she slept.

* * *

_The sound of the police box whirred through the air and caused excitement to flutter in her chest. And then he was stepping out of it and she couldn't stop the grin that overtook her face. _

"_Aliya," He said, uttering it in a way she wasn't used to, and before she even realised what had happened they were running at each other – it had been six months that she had been stuck on Earth. When they collided, his arms encircled her immediately and pulled her into a bone-crushing hug. She laughed. "I've missed you." _

_Before she could reply, he bent down and kissed her, and she was ecstatic because she knew it was for no other reason than that he wanted to and because he cared about her and –_

* * *

Aliya jolted awake to find Jenny eyeing her worriedly from the couch.

"Are you okay?"

As the content of her dream set in, The Time Lady became aware of her hands shaking where they were wrapped around her as though she was holding herself in her sleep. In her haste to reply, she instinctively shook her head before realising it would bring questions, and so changed it to a nod as quickly as she could.

Jenny didn't look particularly convinced. "Bad dream?"

"Yeah," Aliya replied thickly, which wasn't a strictly truthful answer, as in fact it had been good…far too good, and far too dangerous. "When you're a thousand years old, and have seen as much as I have, you might have bad dreams too." It sounded like something she or the Doctor would say, what someone ancient would say. And part of her felt ancient. Ancient and weary, tired of being caught up with feelings and emotions which were sending her into a spiral of unhappiness, regret, and longing. The other part of her was the voice of her youth, the youth in love with Theta Sigma, the slightly older Time Lady in love with her young, blonde Doctor with the celery. Voices who didn't know how to restrain their feelings, who didn't truly understand why they should have to.

All in all, it made her head ache. She supposed that having five personalities in her head was bound to have that effect sooner or later.

Jenny seemed to take her words to heart though, as her face softened a little and became more thoughtful. "Does my dad have bad dreams?"

"I wouldn't know," The older woman said quickly, rising from the chair too abruptly and having to take a second to steady herself, "It's not like we sleep in the same room or anything." She then sighed and properly considered the question. "But yes, he does. But I've only witnessed a few."

"Maybe when we're back with him, we can find a way to help him," Jenny shot her a hopeful smile, which Aliya forced herself to return while her mind raced at something very vital which she hadn't considered.

"Yeah, maybe," She muttered, her thoughts by then elsewhere, "Look, sorry, I need to talk to Jack. Now."

And she dashed off without another word.

* * *

Jack was browsing the latest news articles and police reports for possible outliers which may involve alien activity when there was a knock on his door. With his invitation, Aliya came inside and sat herself on the conference table.

"Okay, so there's a major detail I've left out of this whole mess with the Doctor and River…and I've only just realised that it is going to affect Jenny too," She said suddenly and out of the blue, already sounding very worked up.

Briefly, Jack wondered how her situation could get any more fucked up than it already was. Not that he would tell her _that_, or that her many venting and angsting sessions were rather draining on him as well as her. Because she was his friend and that was what friends did. Still, the sooner this whole mess was resolved, the happier they would all be. A non-depressed and not-pining-after-the-Doctor Aliya was something he was definitely hoping to see in the future.

Finally, he settled for just saying, "What major detail?"

She bit her lip and closed her eyes for a moment before quietly saying, "That River is going to die." Her mouth pressed into a thin line and the grief in her eyes was more powerful than any of the negative emotions she had expressed in front of him before.

Shock flowed through him, quickly followed by horror, and then sadness. "How do you know?"

"Non-linear timeline, remember? The first time that the Doctor met her, she died!"

"Wait," Jack held up his hand, "The Doctor _knows_?"

"Of course!" Aliya said, "How else would _I _know?"

"So, he has gone through their entire relationship, and _married _her, knowing that she was going to die because he's already seen it happen?" He deducted, and she gave a miniscule nod.

"Essentially, yes," She whispered, "That was the other reason I left. I couldn't look her in the eye anymore. Never mind that I'm in love with her husband, I know exactly where and when she dies, and that he's known the entire time!"

There was a minute of silence as Jack processed the entire thing in his head. It really was messed up. And tragic, almost beautifully so, except that the Doctor needed no more tragedy in his life, and losing his wife could break him once and for all.

"Okay," He said slowly, although really it was anything but, "But how does this affect Jenny?"

"I told him not to come back for me until she – she was gone," Aliya answered shakily, "Not until he needed me. Which means that when he comes back for me, he is going to beyond broken, even _I_ am scared of what this might do to him. And not even taking into account the fact that being reunited with Jenny so soon after River could potentially confuse all of his emotions…it's Jenny that I'm worried about." She lifted her chin, and protectiveness glinted in her eye. "She loves her father so much even though they were only together for a couple of hours. And it is going to be hard enough for her to understand regeneration – which I haven't explained to her yet – without his grief being added to it. _She won't recognise him. _I've seen him grieve before, and now he has lost more and will lose the most precious thing of all. So for Jenny's sake, she can't come until I'm sure that the two of them can handle it."

Jack considered her words before a flaw appeared. "Yeah, but if I know the Doctor, and he's been thinking for years that his daughter was dead…the moment he finds out otherwise, he's going to go and get her."

Nervously, Aliya took a deep breath. "Which is why I'm not going to tell him. Not until he's ready."

That surprised Jack. "You'd keep this from him?"

"He'll forgive me eventually…whereas if I brought her to him immediately, he would be happy but then realise how much of a mistake it was, and then he might resent me!" She shifted her gaze down to her knotting hands. "And I _can't _have that happen."

"Well, she's a great little fighter, and she's got that Gallifreyan brain, so she can stay here as long as she likes," He offered with a smile, and she shot him a very grateful look.

"Thank you Jack," She said, and then laughed. "And at the end of this, I am buying you more flowers and liquor than you could ever need."

Despite everything, he grinned at that for a moment. "You'll need to explain this to Jenny, though. And you'll need to tell her the whole thing, the truth, if she is going to understand why she can't see her dad as soon as possible."

She nodded. "I know. There's only one thing I ever lie about, Jack, and it's certainly not this."

It was obvious without her saying it that her love for the Doctor was what she lied about, and Jack nodded. Before he could saying anything else, they both turned their heads at some commotion downstairs, and with only a glance, they made for the door.

* * *

After watching a very out-of-sorts Aliya disappear around the corner in the direction of Jack's office, Jenny frowned. Bad dreams? It didn't sound pleasant, but then, living for that long, the way that it sounded like her dad did…well, you were bound to see things you would wish you hadn't. Things that could haunt you.

But maybe there was a way around that. Maybe happy memories could block out the bad ones, and if she made enough happy memories with her dad, then he wouldn't have such bad dreams!

For an amount of minutes she didn't bother to keep track of, she mused and planned on ways she could help her older kinsmen. But then after some time, her ears tuned into a conversation coming from the med bay. Knowing that Gwen and Esther had not yet arrived, she deducted that it was between Marion and Rex, which she was able to confirm by the voices as she crept closer.

"Seriously, Matheson, what do you want?" Marion sounded irritable, as Jenny had realised she often did, though luckily enough not when she was talking to her.

"I want to be a very considerate person and return something to you," Although she couldn't see either of them, his grin was practically audible.

"And what would that be?"

"You left these at my place," There was a brief silence as he presumably got out whatever it was that was being returned, which was broken by a growl.

Curious as to what could draw such a reaction from someone as refined as Marion, Jenny peeked around the stone wall to see Rex with a shit-eating grin on his face as he held up a pair of lacy black underwear between himself and the medical officer, whose expression was murderous. Jenny's eyes widened, as imagining Marion having relations of that kind with anyone was unusual. But, she supposed, Rex was the person she would likely get along with the best, as the two were very similar.

"Put those away!" Marion hissed, and when he didn't instantly move, she shoved him against the nearest slab of cold, white stone wall. She plucked the underwear from his hands and shoved it into her coat pocket before pressing her forearm against Rex's throat, keeping him pinned. "If you ever dare bring any kind of evidence of our _private _dealings here again, I will make you regret it, Matheson. It is our business and no one else's, and this was _completely _unnecessary and just a ploy to stir shit!"

"It was a fucking joke, Narke! Shit, why do you have to be such a tight-ass?" He said, glaring at her.

"You might think it's a joke, but I don't care for anyone to know my personal business," She hissed.

"_I _know your _personal business_," said Rex with a smirk, and Jenny was surprised to see a sarcastic smirk appear on Marion's face at the same time that a slightly dangerous look appeared in her eyes.

"You're so funny, Rex," She said quietly, "Have I ever told you how hilarious you are?" She pressed her forearm harder against his neck for a moment, and her lips twitched as he ever so slightly winced. Then she let go, and with obvious satisfaction, watched him half fall to the floor. She considered him for a moment, then smirked. "Well, I'm not fucking you for your humour, so I suppose I couldn't care less."

Rex righted himself and shot her a glare which for some reason wasn't entirely angry. If Jenny wasn't mistaken, he actually looked a little turned on. "So, my place at 9?" He eyed her with confidence, which shifted to triumph when she let out a low laugh in her throat and turned to look at him over her shoulder.

"Sure," She answered, and went to turn back to her work, except that she froze, her expression suddenly dark. It was that moment that Jenny realised she had been spotted. "It's not polite to eavesdrop, _Princess_," The older woman spat with venom she had never directed at the girl before.

"Sorry, I'll just-" Jenny gulped and hurried away, but she could hear the high heels clicking on the floor as they followed her with surprising speed.

"Narke, chill out, it's fine!"

"Keep out of this, Rex, you've made your opinion on this very clear," Marion's voice told him.

"It might surprise you, Narke, but I don't actually want this to be common knowledge either," He replied, "Why would I be proud of fucking the office freak?"

The high heels stopped, and the tension in the room was so palpable that Jenny was almost afraid to turn around. Almost. When she did, Marion wasn't angry at Rex as Jenny had expected her to be. Instead her eyes were cold as she eyed the black man who had followed her through to the workstations.

"If I'm such a freak, why lower yourself by sleeping with me?" The tone and emotion of her voice couldn't be identified by Jenny, she didn't sound angry, or curious, or offended. She didn't sound as though she was feeling anything.

Rex shrugged. "Because you're a weirdly attractive freak who's good in bed."

"Urgh, whatever, your logic has always been shitty, it's not like I care what you think of me anyway," Marion rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to Jenny. "Now, little Princess, what made you think that you had the right to invade my privacy?"

"Sorry," Jenny said again, nervous, "I didn't mean to, I just overheard, and then I didn't really think-"

The dark haired woman lifted an eyebrow. "You didn't think? Why not? Are you stupid?"

"No."

"Are you sure?" Her cold and judgemental tone put a pit in Jenny's stomach. She had never thought that she was stupid, but right now she felt it. "Because only stupid people don't think before they act."

"Nobody's perfect," Jenny said without thinking, because she had to say something to defend herself, "Not you, not him, not me. I made a mistake, and I've apologised, what more do you want me to do?"

"To not act as idiotic as the woman you idolise, you have a brain in there, so use it, and _keep out of business that isn't yours,_" said Marion agitatedly, "And-"

"Is there a problem here?"

All three of them turned around to see Jack and Aliya entering the work area. The former, who had spoken, shot Marion a look which made the woman step back from where she had been intimidating Jenny by invading her personal space and abusing their large height difference.

"Not anymore," She said mildly, and went to go only to come to a halt when Jenny spoke.

"She and Rex are sleeping together."

Marion shot Jenny a very annoyed look at the same time that Jack lifted an eyebrow and Aliya did a bad job of hiding her disgust. "Did our entire conversation go completely over your little blonde head?" She demanded, and Jenny straightened up and lifted her chin.

"No, but I don't respond well to intimidation or bullying," The blonde girl said firmly.

For a few moments the two of them stared each other down, while Jack and Aliya shared a worried but rather impressed glance. But then Marion surprised all of them, and laughed. Although everyone else in the room froze as if to be sure that they hadn't heard wrong or that she hadn't gone mad, Jenny kept her eyes on the doctor.

Marion then pursed her lips as she gave Jenny a once over. Afterwards, she smiled with amusement. "There's hope for you yet, Princess." With a turn of her high heel, she was walking back to the med bay.

"I swear that woman is fucking crazy," Rex exclaimed with a frown as he watched her go, though his gaze did drop to her retreating rear for a moment before it shifted back to the three other people in the room.

"Hey, you're the one sleeping with her," Jack pointed out. Rex just shrugged again.

"It's a free country, and you can't talk, you're sleeping with her!" He gestured to Aliya before walking off.

Stunned, Jenny looked back at her mentor. Aliya was rubbing her temples as if she had a headache. "You okay?"

The blonde Time Lady glanced up and offered a tired smile. "Less than an hour in, and this day is already a bit much. But I need to talk to you about something important, so do you want to have lunch together in a few hours?"

"Yeah, sure," Jenny smiled, only to falter a little when the one she got in return was not convincing in the slightest. Jack looked between them with sympathy and a knowing expression, leading her to speculate that whatever Aliya needed to tell her had something to do with whatever she had needed to discuss with Jack.

But what could it be?

* * *

"He married her even though he knew she would die? Even though he knew it would break his heart?" Jenny repeated, clearly to ensure that she had heard correctly.

She had listened well all through their lunch at the nice café near the Roald Dahl Pass, but they had gotten to the difficult part, and Aliya wasn't looking forward to it.

"Is he stupid?" Jenny asked, and Aliya had to laugh.

"Yes," She said, and then smiled softly, "And brave. He _chose _to love her, knowing that it would hurt him. Because she's worth it."

"She must be wonderful," sighed Jenny, "Can I meet her?"

Aliya shook her head sadly. "The Doctor isn't coming back for me until she's dead…until she isn't going to appear in his timeline again." Jenny slumped a little. "And it's horrible that you will probably never get to meet her. But the universe is a funny place, and with her timelines, you can never entirely rule it out," Aliya speculated, before quickly adding, "But the chances of that are…not good."

"You said that it was going to affect me. Is that how it will? That I'll never know my stepmother?"

"That is…definitely regrettable," Aliya admitted, "But it wasn't what I was referring to. The thing is, is that he'll be different."

"He'll be grieving."

"Yes…but that's not all," She got a strange look from Jenny, and sighed again. "Jenny, our species…we do something that almost no other species can. When we die, we…cheat death, in a way-"

"Is that what happened to me?" The girl's face was eager, and it fell a little when Aliya shook her head.

"No, this is different. What we do, is go through a process. It's called regeneration, and what happens is…every cell in our body dies and is born again. Every physical aspect of us changes, and we become a new person. Same memories, same core personality…but different appearance, different habits, characteristics, preferences," She explained, and after a moment understanding dawned on Jenny's face.

"Has that happened to my dad? Does he look different now? And act different?" She guessed, and again, Aliya was impressed by how quickly the girl caught on.

"Yes. At first he'll seem very different, but you'll be able to feel his mind, and it will feel the same, your mind will recognise him. And eventually, the rest of you will see the little things that haven't changed." She reached a hand into the normal-sized pocket of the brown leather jacket which Jack had bought for her on their shopping trip to avoid her wearing more than one piece of denim at one time. When she withdrew it, a photograph, and a precious one at that, was in her hand.

Jenny gingerly took it when it was offered to her. It had been taken in Austria in the 1930's, on top of a gorgeous mountain. It was a beautiful picture, where the Doctor had his arm around River and had his face affectionately close to hers, while Aliya was on his other side and leaning against his shoulder while laughing. A friend they had made on the trip had taken it, and she could remember the compliments he gave on how they made for a very attractive group.

It was true, they had all been happy and smiling and laughing, making for a gorgeous picture which would always make Aliya smile. And smile was what Jenny did as she stared at it.

"So that's him? What he looks like now?" She asked quietly, and Aliya nodded. "He's so different. But he still looks like he has…that _life _about him."

"He does," The Time Lady smiled fondly, "He's wonderful."

"And that's River," Jenny went on, "She looks brilliant. I love her hair."

That made Aliya grin. "So does your dad. But yeah, she is just…amazing. Perfect for him." Affection for both of them swelled in her and she let out a breath she had been holding. But then the purpose of the conversation re-entered her mind and she brought the conversation back to where it needed to be. "And when he loses her, he is going to be hollow. I've seen him grieve, and…there aren't words." She grimaced. "Which is why I can't let you see him like that. You truly will not recognise him if you do, and I can't be responsible for that."

Jenny faltered, clearly disagreeing. "So, you want me to not see him, when I've been looking for him for three years?"

"For both of your sakes," Aliya said quietly, keeping her eyes on their empty plates. "Please believe me when I say that I know it is for the best. I won't tell him that you're alive, not straight away. And then, when he's gotten better and I think he can handle it, and that you can handle it, I'll tell him and we'll come see you straight away."

"Do you not think he'll get angry at you for keeping it from him?" Jenny eyed her as if she were mad.

Aliya let out a little desperate laugh. "He'll be furious. But it's a sacrifice I have to make, because it will be better for everyone in the long run, and while he may hate me for a while, he'll eventually thank me."

"You sound so sure!"

"If there's one thing I know, it's your father. Now, can you accept that it needs to happen this way?"

"Yes. Just, try to come back as soon as you can after you leave?"

"I'll have us back for a minute after we leave."

They lapsed into a comfortable silence, until Jenny looked up and suddenly blurted out the last question that Aliya wanted to hear. "Are you in love with my dad?"

For a moment or two, Aliya couldn't speak, she was so taken aback. "What in the world gave you that idea?"

"The way you talk about him, the look you get in your eyes…that looks like love to me," Jenny answered slowly.

Irrational bitterness and need to get defensive hit Aliya with surprising strength. "How would you know, you don't know anything about love, you proved that when you had to ask me about it!" She snapped rather cruelly, making the girl flinch.

"I'm not a total idiot though!" Jenny replied forcefully. "The look you got in your eyes when you were talking about what love is like, is _exactly _the same look you get whenever you talk about him."

The logic was rather hard to argue with, and Aliya opened and closed her mouth several times before answering rather lamely, "I'm not in love with your father." Even to her own ears, it sounded pathetic.

"You're lying."

Aliya sighed and shook her head. "It makes no difference," She said firmly, "I'm _not_ having this discussion with you."

* * *

"So, where do you want to go today, River?" The Doctor asked excitedly, as it was the first time he had seen her in months, and even when he had, it had been such a young River that it only half counted. And he refused to think about what that meant, how it supported his theory that his time with River was nearing its end.

"Darillium," River suggested, with a look that made him wonder if she was saying it _because _she knew that he would say no. Which of course, he did. "Why not? You're so against taking me there, but you never give me a reason!"

He wanted to brush off her accusations as usually did, but couldn't bring himself to. It was time to stop being selfish, to stop hoarding his time with her.

"Okay, I'll make you a deal, River," He suggested, "You stay with me for a month, a linear month. Then…I'll drop you back at your house for a week or two."

"Why?"

"Because if you have too much of me, River, I'll seem less special," The Doctor smirked and the statement made her chuckle a little, albeit disbelievingly. "But if you do that…then I'll turn up on your doorstep and take you to see the Singing Towers."

River's face broke out into a smile so radiant and beautiful that it made his heart swell with affection and ache with grief simultaneously. "I can't believe it, you're actually going to take me?"

"Of course, I promise," He grinned, and she then kissed him forcefully. His hands grabbed at her in every way he could, as he had now given their days left an exact number. Their days truly were numbered now, so he would make the most of every single second. When she finally pulled away, there was lipstick all over his face, he could feel it, and it was confirmed by her rather pleased laughter.

"Well, this has all worked out rather nicely, hasn't it? Will I get to dress up?" She asked, and he nodded.

"Of course, River, anything you want. I'll even turn up with a new haircut and a suit," He told her, repeating the words she had spoken to him such a long time ago, and would speak to him painfully soon.

That made her grin. "I'll hold you to that, you know."

He just shrugged. "Yeah, but now you owe me a month first. Come on, wife, we've got places to see!" With that said, he began operating the TARDIS to take them to their next destination, which could be anywhere. It didn't matter, he had his TARDIS, and his wife by his side, piloting alongside him. And even if it wasn't for much longer, he was going to enjoy it while he could.

* * *

**So now we know why the next chapter is going to be pretty much entirely angst. Because...we are going to cover River's death, the Singing Towers of Darillium, another scene which I shan't divulge but will certainly make me bawl when I write it...and of course, the Doctor's grief which is going to be rather colossal. I can't believe I only have one more chapter of River left...it's so sad! :( **

**I love you all, leave me your comments and let me know what you thought of everything! **

**-MayFairy :)**

Anonymous Review Replies

_Emma - _Thank goodness you have a name now! Thanks for both of your reviews. Don't worry, there will still be quite a bit of Jaliya...but unfortunately it won't be endgame. :( However, if River hadn't died and had been immortal or whatever, then Jaliya would have been endgame, just as a random fun fact. :) Hope you stick with the story anyway. :) Thanks again!


	50. The Death of River Song

**Oh god. Oh dear god. This chapter. I just can't, okay? It's long to make up for the delay and because I wanted the content of this chapter to be one powerful hit, and not be broken up. **

**Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter: OptimisticLivvy, loulouflowerpower, LadyMaluHolmes, GeoRach, Emma, ZackAttack96, TheGirlBehindTheRayBans, Nikki Pond, and Mrs. 11th! **

**Now, to warn you...this chapter contains the Singing Towers of Darillium/the death of River Song. Be prepared for major angst, and there is a good chance it is going to make you cry. And there is an Aliya/River scene which may also make you cry. Actually, just a tissue recommendation on pretty much the whole thing. I would say enjoy, but...yeah. Sorry. **

* * *

River Song had just arrived home, bursting with excitement at being put second-in-command for the expedition to the Library. And that was only after Lux, who was funding it and so therefore had to be officially in charge. It wasn't as if she was going to let him actually boss her around. He'd be wrapped around her little finger in a few days without him even having a clue.

She grinned to herself as she made herself a cup of tea and sat down to celebrate with an Agatha Christie novel, the only one she had yet to read, which she was halfway through and almost afraid to continue. Because she knew that if she didn't go all the way to the end, then she would miss out on all of the potential greatness within the pages. But if she did, then it would just be over. Agatha Christie would be finished, and rereading, especially a mystery novel, was never quite the same.

However, she'd only been at it for twenty minutes when there was a knock at her door, so she put it down and – still dressed in her professor's clothes – answered the door.

The Doctor was standing on her doorstep.

Her Doctor, not the one in pinstripes she had run into a couple of times over the past couple of months and ended up going to a surprising second picnic at Asgard with. Well, she said surprising, in all reality she _had _practically ambushed him with a hamper and given the bemused man very little chance to argue. He had, somewhat reluctantly, eventually gone along with it and enjoyed himself. He was hard work young, though, so clearly unsure about her, and yet obviously intrigued but not wanting to show that he was. It worried her that perhaps she was approaching the day when he wouldn't recognise her, the day she had been dreading for years.

For even if he was young and didn't know her very well in the least, he was still curious, and interested, and always reluctantly drawn in by her, she could tell. And he watched her like she was the most baffling puzzle in the universe, which she rather liked. It was fun when he didn't know things.

But for him to not recognise her at all…the thought made her blood run cold, and her heart want to break.

Which was why seeing him like this was simply the best present possible. He had promised to return in a few weeks, and it had been closer to two months, so she had been a little worried. But he was here, and suddenly everything bad melted away.

"What do you think?" The Doctor asked enthusiastically, doing a turn on the spot so that she could take in the new suit, and then raking a hand through his hair to make sure she spotted the nice haircut too. "I did promise."

"You clean up well for a twelve-year old," She replied, smirking at him, and laughed when his confidence faltered for a moment or two. "You look fantastic, sweetie."

He beamed at that and straightened his bowtie with pride. "Yeah, I do, don't I?" Then he stopped and took in her appearance properly. "Why do you look all…business-y?"

"I've been at the university," She said. The blazer and short pencil skirt were a look he wouldn't be accustomed to, she knew, and her hair was up in a messy bun. "Sorry that I don't look as good as you."

The smile he gave her made her feel like a giddy teenager. "Firstly, you look lovely, but secondly, you can get ready in the TARDIS, I have a dress for you and everything."

"And then?"

He offered her his arm, which she took after stepping out of and locking her front door. "Then, Darillium, as promised."

* * *

The Doctor was glad that she was allowing him to sit in on her getting ready for their big night. Their _last _night which she could never know was their last until it was too late.

After promising to sit on the edge of the bathtub and face away from her until she was done, he was able to continue talking with her and not miss out on a single precious second.

"So guess what I'm doing in a week's time?" River asked, her voice brimming with excitement, the kind of excitement people got in their voices when they talked about their passion.

Tentatively, he said, "What?"

"I'm going to the Library! Do you remember? I mentioned it to you back when you were just all baby-faced. Aliya didn't even know me, you must have only just found her again at that point," River bubbled, and he could _hear _the huge, enthusiastic grin and brightness in her eyes as she spoke. In complete opposition to her, the words made his mood slip a little, and his hearts weigh just a bit more. "Sweetie?" It occurred to him that he had not answered her.

"Oh, uh, that's great, River," He said automatically, lying through his teeth, "Very exciting."

"It's taken them a hundred years just to break the seals so that a team can get back in, can you imagine what we might find? It's one of the few things in the universe that travelling with you hasn't provided some kind of cheat or spoiler for," The last sentence brought back what he thought of as her 'wife voice', scolding him for ruining it for her.

"I thought that you enjoyed my cheats for history and archaeology?"

She laughed at that, and he heard fabric drop to the floor, and realised with a flash of warmth that she was undressing a mere few feet away from him. _Later, _he reminded himself, and kept his gaze straight, and his back turned. "Yes, of course I do sweetie, especially because with you it's always more accurate because we were actually there at so many of the huge events."

"Not to mention you tend to use my TARDIS to go back and pick up artefacts while they are still new," He mentioned with a twitch of his lips. "So forgive me if I don't see the problem."

"No problem as such, sweetie, just the fact that having to investigate the way everyone else does is rather exciting," River replied, "Can you zip me up?"

The Doctor turned around and stood up, taking the small step he needed to be right behind her. Then his hands clasped the zipper and very slowly and deliberately began to pull it up. He admitted he was taking a liberty to enjoy the sight of her smooth skin disappearing beneath the shiny golden-green fabric. He knew that she must realise what he was doing, but instead of doing as she usually would and making a teasing innuendo about it, she kept quiet and let him continue. When he finished, he brushed her hair aside to wind his arms around her waist from behind and rest his chin on her right shoulder.

"I knew that dress would suit you," He commented as they both stared at their reflections in the large bathroom mirror. Now that he got to see her properly, he could only think of how inherently _beautiful _she was. The dress draped over all of her curves perfectly, hinting strongly but not exactly revealing. Her hair – _dear lord her hair _– it was as alluring as ever, bouncy and curly and golden. Her grey-green eyes sparkled with life, love and anticipation, so much so that he had to smile and place a light kiss to the spot between her shoulder and neck. "Shall we, Professor Song?"

* * *

Ten minutes later, River had wandered off and he couldn't imagine what had possibly happened until he rounded the corner and saw another TARDIS parked there, door slightly open as River's back disappeared inside. The memory flashed in his head and he remembered. The night with three Rivers in the TARDIS at once.

He supposed that meant it was his cue to go in and get his River back out. The idea of him now being the older Doctor, the one who only had one night left with River…that one hurt. His younger self had so much time left, so many adventures, the wedding, the honeymoon, the linear patch…

But it was time to buck up and be brave. So he marched into the younger TARDIS to see his younger self standing a few metres from _his _River.

"No, River, wrong TARDIS, I'm back around the back…younger version," The urge to smirk was just a little too strong, so he didn't bother fighting it.

Meanwhile, River was far too intrigued, her wide eyes darting between them. "Two of you…the mind races, does it not?" Her implications couldn't be clearer, she was obviously liking the idea quite a lot.

"Come on, we'll be late," He reminded her, and that distracted her, as a smile lit her face up.

"He's taking me to the Singing Towers of Darillium, he's been promising for ages. After all, if Aliya gets to spend so much time with that handsome Captain, I have to get _something_." River explained to the younger Doctor happily as she left the TARDIS. The older Doctor saw his younger counterpart mouth the last part of the sentence questioningly at him, but he just shrugged in reply. What did it matter what Aliya was doing? That was quite possibly the least important thing in the universe, did he not realise that this was his last night with River? A second later he apparently did, as his expression dropped and the sadness visibly crashed over him.

"When we first met her in the Library, when she…"

"Died, yes," He forced himself to finish the sentence, to actually say it.

"She told us that the last time she saw us was at Darillium. Is that now?" The younger Doctor's voice suggested he was treading carefully, not wanting to upset either of them, and his older self smiled bravely, even it was very difficult to do so.

"Spoilers," He said, knowing just how ironic it sounded, "Good luck tonight."

"You too."

"Yeah." He made himself smile again before leaving quickly. He didn't want to waste any more time that he could have with River instead.

* * *

When the two of them finally arrived at Darillium, he had to take a moment to steady himself before following her out of the police box doors. But when he did, he had to pause next to her and marvel at the sight before them.

It really was perfect.

Darillium had three moons, which were only just visible as the sun was in the middle of setting. The rays of light made the very dark green grass shine like ripples of deep sea water in a storm, and the yellow sky streaked with orange, pink, and pure white from the sun.

"Oh," River whispered as her eyes drank in the sight.

The light of the setting sun also reflected off of the towers themselves. There were two, both stretching high in the sky even from the distance that the Doctor and River were standing away. The hill their feet stood on was about a kilometre away from the grand plaza where the towers stood, tall and beautiful in their simplicity and incredible detail. In contrast to the warmer colours of the planet, the Singing Towers were a terrific pearly white, enhanced by woven patterns of silver spiralling up their lengths. They glowed in the dying sunlight, but were not yet singing.

The Doctor reached down to take River's hand in his own. "Shall we?" They walked along the large hill until they came to where it was about to start sloping downward. "Here, this is perfect," He declared.

"But we're still far away," River frowned in confusion, but he just laughed.

"Trust me, River, when they sing, you'll be able to hear it," He assured her, and so she sat down on the grass next to him.

"So how does the singing work?"

He grinned at her. "I'm glad you asked. What makes the towers so incredible is that their music comes from what is around them."

River's eyes took in the scenery around them again. "From this place?"

"Well, yes," He said, frowning for a moment, "But no, not really. The music come from the people."

"The people?"

"The beings around them. The plants, the animals, yes…but the towers absorb the emotion," The Doctor turned from the sight to smile softly at her, "People come here to listen to the things they feel in their hearts be turned into the most beautiful, powerful, true music. Nothing in the universe can so perfectly capture something within us the way that these towers can."

"Will they sing _our_ emotions?" River asked, almost breathing the words as she stared, awed, at the towers.

"You and me?" He said. His eyes drank her in while his hearts swelled with the love he knew he would never stop feeling, and his hand touched her face for a fleeting moment. "How could they pass that up? I can guarantee that tonight, _because of us, _the Towers are going to sing the _greatest, _the _most powerful and most beautiful _song they have _ever _sung."

At that she smiled at him, with that look in her eye which told him that she understood, like she always did. She knew that he wasn't good with words, not when it came to feelings. Feelings words were difficult for him, far more difficult than anything else in the universe. But she knew that, better than anyone else he had ever met, because she was River Song and she just understood.

She understood that what he had really just said was 'they are going to sing the most beautiful and powerful song they ever sung because no one has ever had feelings as great and powerful as the love I have for you'. And he thought that was rather fantastic.

His hand cupped the back of her neck as he pulled her in for a kiss. It started off slow, but rose in power and passion until they were clutching at each other, and he had rolled so that she was beneath him. It might have gone further, if at that moment, the Towers hadn't begun to sing.

They broke apart and froze, staring into each other's eyes as the song of the Towers filled their ears and hearts. Quickly they stopped and rolled so that they were both lying on their backs, River tucked underneath his arm, snuggled against his chest while his hand played with small strands of her hair.

Earlier they had spotted a few other people around, down much closer to the Towers, and the initial song must have been of their emotions. Because as lovely and fresh and energetic as the song was, it was not one that fit them. If the Doctor had to guess, it was the one of the young couple they had spied. The song was clearly of young, innocent love, and the magic of a first love.

If it had been any other time, with any other person, it would have made him reminisce about his own first love. But with River Song in his arms, he could do nothing but hold her tighter and wish that they could have had more time, that he hadn't been so stupid when he was younger. He had wasted so much time just being cross with her and scared of what she might mean…oh how he wished he could get those early days back to make better use of them.

* * *

River listened to the song of the young lovers, and wished that her first love had been as wonderful as the one the song expressed. But hers had been insignificant and petty, just some douchebag bloke…but really…

The Doctor was her first and only _true and real _love. Because her feelings for him made every other relationship she had been in pale in comparison. The size of it, the enormity and complexity of it…and most importantly, the potency and passion of it…it all just made her know that theirs was a tale, a legend, a love sang of not just by towers but by people all over the universe. The back-to-front and timey wimey love affair between the most wonderful man in the universe, the hero of a thousand galaxies, the lonely god, the Doctor...and River Song, his wife, an archaeologist, sent to kill him only to fail in the most surprising way. Together their story was epic, and she hoped that when it inevitably came to an end that it would not be forgotten or ignored, by anyone. Especially him.

She worried about him, and what he might be like after her death – which would have to happen someday, unlike him, she had no extra lives.

The song of the Towers had shifted, and she believed it belonged to the lone person she had seen before, a red headed woman who had seemed so sad from the glimpse River had gotten. She thought so because the song was heartbreaking. It spoke of such loneliness, then shifted to something almost frightening, with military-like metrics. Then hope, excitement, triumph. Those emotions made River smile, and when she looked over at the Doctor, he too seemed happy that the woman's story was looking up. Only then it changed, to a blur of confusion which rose in a crescendo until it peaked at something which could only be a revelation which led to happiness. But just as they began to hope, the song ended with it gently fading into a sense of sad solitude, and abruptly cut off with a harsh despondent chord.

It made River shift, trying to spot the woman. When she did, it looked as though the woman was looking back at her, but in the growing darkness and across the distance it was rather impossible to tell. But then the woman turned and they watched as she walked away and disappeared out of sight. A nagging voice in the back of River's head said that the woman had looked familiar, but she couldn't place it.

And just then she could no longer think about it, because the Towers were singing again. And this time, they were singing about _her_.

* * *

The Doctor watched the change in River as she realised that the Towers were now singing out her emotions. Unlike the more narrative song which had just passed, the only emotions which filled River were clearly ones of pure, undiluted love for him.

The strength and power of the music brought tears to his eyes, and he pulled her closer, _his _River Song, whose love he did not deserve but was too selfish to ever give up.

And he knew that her emotions were huge, and countless, and almost infinite, which meant that the song was going to be very long. So, he very gently placed his hand under her chin and tilted her head up towards him before kissing her with the utmost gentleness. Her hands snaked up to wrap around his neck, giving her leverage to return the kiss, put a bit more force into it, and also shift so that she was conveniently straddling him.

As she leant over him, her hair spilled across his face and chest, tickling his skin. The song of her emotions, love and strength continued to sound through the air, only fuelling what was in-between them, the love and lust and want and _need. _

Not wanting to be outdone, he cupped her back to make sure he was holding her tightly to him before he turned them over, so that he was on top.

"River," He whispered into her skin, and both of them worked to rid each other of their clothes.

What followed was new and old, slow and fast, familiar and desperate. Murmurs of love were not expressed because this time they were not needed. The Towers were singing of both of them at, of the love they had for each other and how it conflicted and complimented at the same time, but more importantly how it burned with the force of ten erupting stars.

But what were murmured were names. _Doctor, Doctor, Doctor, Doctor. River, River, River, River. _And then she breathed out his name in a whisper that seemed deafening because it was _his name _and she knew it, could say it, because he had told her. Nothing to compare to the sound of it falling from her lips, and his hearts nearly stopped because they were beating so fast and so hard for her.

And for what he knew would be the last time, he let himself be lost in everything that was River Song. The feel of her hair and skin and lips. The taste of her on his tongue as he ran his lips across hers. The small brush of her mind which he was able to initiate. The sound of her heavy breathing, the sound of her uttering his name softly.

The sound of the Towers singing their song. Literally singing out their love for the universe to hear.

* * *

Getting the dress back on had been a little difficult, especially because the Doctor wouldn't stop touching her, or finding excuses, but eventually they got there. He was holding her between his legs now, her back against his chest. Like he had in the TARDIS bathroom, he rested his chin on her shoulder.

The Towers were still singing. It wasn't surprising, but it made River smile all the same. Everything she had known the Doctor felt for her was being confirmed over and over again by the melodies and harmonies being woven all around them. She could feel herself tearing up a little, but that was very silly so she forced herself to stop and wiped them away before he could see them. Once she had, she looked up to check he hadn't noticed, only to see that tears were rolling down his cheeks, his eyes full of a sadness she didn't understand.

"Sweetie, what is it, what's wrong?" She turned around enough to be able to look into his eyes and use her thumb to wipe the tears away, but they kept coming.

He shook his head quickly and sniffed. "Nothing. It's nothing." He pressed her knuckles to his lips, but as she glanced down, it was impossible to miss how his hand was shaking.

"Sweetie-" River's words were cut off by him pulling her in and kissing her abruptly, though she couldn't tell if it was because he wanted to or whether he just didn't want her to talk. But she let herself enjoy the kiss, and decided to just wait until he broke it off. But when he did, before she spoke, he pulled her to his chest and held her there. Tightly. Too tightly. Like he was afraid that if he let go she would slip away and out of his fingers. "Honey, that hurts." It was only a whisper but he quickly loosened his grip, though didn't let her get much further away. He continue to stroke her hair almost absently.

"I'm sorry, River," The Doctor sounded so forlorn that she felt lost. And it was then that she noticed how the song around them had changed. It was no longer about the joys of love, it was sad and mournful. It was the most heartbreaking thing she had ever heard.

And then she understood. So she let herself turn so that they were chest to chest, her in his lap, and she cupped his face in her hands.

"Hey," She soothed softly, almost like a mother to a child, "It's okay." The Time Lord just looked at her with watery eyes and shook his head almost imperceptibly. So she let herself become more firm. He needed a firm hand sometimes. "I know what this is. This is you being afraid that something is going to happen to me. But you need to remember that it is going to take an army of millions to keep me from you…but also that it's inevitable, my love. I don't have your longevity. But it's okay…"

"How can it be okay, if you're not going to be with me?" The Doctor said, with more vulnerability in his eyes than she had ever seen. "How can it be okay for the Doctor to go on without River Song?"

She smiled at him, her own eyes now a little starry with tears. "You always go on. But you'll never be without me, sweetie. I'll be in here-" She laid her hands over both of his hearts, "-you'll never truly lose me."

That made him smile just a little. Then, he pulled her closer and slowly kissed her forehead, then her nose…and finally her lips.

"River," He said quietly, against the skin of her neck as he held her tightly to him, "You are magnificent."

* * *

She had guessed. River Song had guessed that he was already mourning her. Only River bloody Song could do that. And somehow she had made her own death sound a fraction less terrible. Because she was right. Part of her would always be in his head, making comments and innuendos and less than helpful suggestions. And he was glad of that.

But still, the Doctor held her fiercely against his chest, only to pull back to stare into her beautiful grey eyes which held so much beauty, brilliance, ferocity and love. So much River. "River Song," His fingertip traced the side of her face, "I know I don't say it as much as I should, so I'm going to say it now. I am truly, deeply, utterly in love with you. Have been for a very long time, and will be for even longer, maybe even forever. And I just want you to know that. I've never let myself feel about anyone the way I let myself feel about you."

A strange little laugh escaped her, and the shine of love in her eyes set a blazing fire in his hearts. "I love you too. And I do know, sweetie. I've always known. I know how you say it without saying it. You hold my hand tighter than necessary. You let me fly the TARDIS by myself. You say 'no you don't' whenever I tell you that I hate you. You bop me on the nose. And you stare at me like I'm an impossible miracle."

"That's what you are," He said, smiling at all the things she had listed, and loving her all the more for noticing all the small ways he non-verbally told her his feelings, "An impossible miracle. Always."

"Even in the beginning?" River grinned, and he nodded, matching her large smile with one of his. Then he bopped her on the nose.

"Especially in the beginning. You strode into my life and turned it into a whirlwind of confusion. But I couldn't help but fascinating. You were an enigma wrapped in spoilers wrapped in hair…and I liked it," He told her, and at that, she laughed before kissing him contently.

* * *

They were both reluctant to leave, but knew that they had to. So they climbed back up the hill and got back into the TARDIS, where she helped him fly the TARDIS back to her home, just as she always did. But he could feel her eyes on him, still slightly worried.

"Sweetie, you have to promise not to worry about me," She told him as they left the police box and walked back up to her porch.

He smiled at her, doing his best not to show that his hearts felt like they were being ripped out of his chest. "I always worry about you."

"But this is me we're talking about, dear," She smirked, "I can take care of myself. Don't you worry, you'll be stuck with me for years yet, I'll make sure of it."

Okay, that one hurt. A lot. First she tells him that her death is inevitable but that he will be able to get through it, then she half goes back on it by being so sure of herself that she doesn't believe death is just around the corner. Which he knew that it was.

Oh, River. His River Song.

But he smiled back at her as though he believed as much as she did. "Yeah," He laughed a little, "Definitely."

"Well then, goodnight," She grinned cheekily at him, her eyes sparkling in that way he loved so much.

"Goodnight," He made himself smile again, but had to intervene when she went to step inside. His hand clasped around her arm and pulled her back to him. "Wait." Rummaging in his jacket for possibly the most object in the universe, he pulled out the old sonic screwdriver he had found in the TARDIS, the one which she had in the Library. "Take it. To the Library. For good luck."

She smiled, "Okay."

He bent down and kissed her, _one last time_, and let himself memorise every tiny detail. Finally, after at least a minute, maybe two, he forced himself to let go of her and step away. "Goodnight, River." He started to walk back down the path to where the TARDIS was outside the gate.

"Until the next time, then," She called out, her usual confident smirk on her face, and he nodded without thinking because really, what else could he do?

"Next time," He repeated, trying to sound convincing while the lump in his throat continued to grow.

River looked pleased, and with that, went inside the house. It wasn't until he was back in the TARDIS and trying to read the scanner that he realised he was crying so much that the tears were obscuring his vision.

He gripped the console tightly and let himself bend over it, tears spilling onto the machine steadily. The sound of his sobs began to get louder, and it was pitiful, but he couldn't bring himself to care. The moment the ship had dematerialised and was in orbit of some inhabited planet on the other side of the universe, he allowed himself to drop onto the top step going up to the console platform.

There, he let his walls crumble and the waterfall of tears flow.

* * *

It wasn't until Jenny tried talking to her that Aliya realised that she had very much gotten lost in her thoughts and stopped paying attention to the profile up on her computer screen.

"Sorry," She said quickly, shaking her head, "What did you say?"

"I was just wondering if you were okay."

"Truthfully…no." Aliya sighed and rubbed her temples tiredly. "I have this feeling…that the Doctor is coming back soon. That it's happening. That it's…ending."

"Have you told Jack?" Jenny suggested helpfully. "He'll probably want to know."

So the Time Lady did just that.

* * *

Once she told Jack, his first question had been if she was ready to see the Doctor again. She had said, truthfully, that she wasn't sure.

"But being around him is always going to be difficult," She admitted.

"Then why put yourself through it?" Jack asked, to which she just sadly shook her head.

"Because from this point it's not about me. It's about River. It's about him. He _needs _me now, because I'm the only person in the universe that he can't scare off. Right now, I don't matter."

"And you're okay with never seeing River again? With never getting to say goodbye?"

"There's nothing I can do about that."

That was when he smiled craftily and held up an object she was very familiar with. "What if there was?"

* * *

After several hours of tinkering, the previously mostly broken vortex manipulator was operational. The only problem was that the moment she realised, Aliya couldn't stop her hands from shaking uncontrollably.

"Shit," She gasped, and set it down on her desk before sinking back into her chair and just staring.

"It done?" Jack's voice came from not so far away, and she replied without turning around.

"Yeah, but I just…can't."

"She's your friend, and you should say goodbye properly," He said as he came closer, taking the manipulator and pressing it gently back into her hands. "This is your ticket to being able to do that. Go to her while you can."

She smiled gratefully through teary eyes. "Thanks."

With that, she disappeared with a flash of light.

* * *

The room she appeared in was somewhat dim, but not so much that it hindered her sight. From her place in the shadows, she could see an unconscious figure in blue handcuffed to a railing. And more prominently, the curly-haired figure sitting on the grand chair and setting up wires.

"I know you're there." Aliya jumped a mile out of her skin. "So you'd better come out now." At River's self-assured words, the Time Lady was quick to do as her friend said. And when the grey eyes turned her way, they didn't look particularly surprised. "I thought that it might be you."

"You know me too well," Aliya smiled shakily, but River did not return it. Instead, determination flashed in her eyes.

"I won't let you stop me. Or take my place," The archaeologist said fiercely.

Quickly, and feeling her eyes already gathering moisture, her friend shook her head. "I'm not going to try, that's not why I'm here."

That one took River by surprise, so much so, that she halted in her work and let the large cables rest on her lap. "Then why _are _you here?"

"I couldn't say goodbye to you properly if you didn't know what was going to happen to you, it would have felt like lying," Aliya admitted, and sure enough, the tears were already welling up, "River, I don't know what I'm going to do without - what either of us will do without you."

"You'll go on," River said with a brave smile but not entirely dry eyes, "He always does, and you will too. He won't be alone, he'll have you."

"I'm a fairly substandard replacement."

"You're not. You're his best friend. You're a Time Lady, you'll never have to leave him like everyone else. And you're so, so, special. And his equal," River smiled proudly.

"That man has no equal," Aliya whispered, knowing that she would never tell him that in a million years. "And if he did, it was my cousin. It was Romana and not me."

"I didn't know her, so I suppose I wouldn't know," The other woman shrugged, "But if you want my opinion…the opinion of the woman who married him and travelled with both of you…you're exactly what he needs."

Her response was initially just a subdued head shake. "Any one of his special humans could be that. He picks them all so well, and they are always exactly what he needs."

"What he needs now, what he will need," River took a deep breath and stared at Aliya with an even gaze, "Is somebody that loves him. More than life itself."

Aliya felt her mouth go very dry. "That's you. He _needs _you, but he can't have you, and it's not fair!" She wiped at the tears running down her cheeks.

"No, he can't have me anymore, but luckily I was talking about someone else. Someone else who he needs, even if he after this he won't admit to it. Someone else who loves him just as much as I do and has sustained that love for longer than I will ever know," The knowing smile that she gave Aliya made her hearts skip a beat.

"I – I don't-"

"Sweetie, you don't have to pretend. It was as plain as day after Ventora, and a few times before."

Her words weren't much help, as the Time Lady quickly buried her face in her hands. "I'm sorry!" She apologised passionately. "I never meant to be in love with him, it was just always there and I didn't realise until it was far too late, and I-"

"It's okay, sweetie, I didn't even piece it all together until a few months ago. And then I realised that it had been staring me in the face. I don't know how you did it, but I want to thank you for supporting me, and supporting him in everything we did," River told her gently, "And I also want you to know that I am sorry, because I also realised how much pain we must have caused you."

"Don't you dare apologise for loving him and having him love you back," Aliya adamantly said, and River shook her head.

"I would never dream of it," She assured her with a sad smile, "I'm apologising for the fact that you had to witness it." There wasn't a response which could be deemed worthy of something so kind, so Aliya gave none and shifted her eyes to the floor, at least until River said, "That's him there, you know."

Like lightning, the head of short blonde hair turned to properly look at the man on the floor, with the unruly brown hair and the blue suit. She could only see a little of his face, but what she could make out matched her memory of the Doctor who had been with Donna on Midnight.

"It doesn't matter," She said suddenly, and brought her gaze back to the woman in the chair, "I'm here for you, not him. Because I'm never going to see you again and you're my best friend and I love you so much. And just the thought of losing you makes me feel empty, and it scares me to think what it's going to do to him."

"He'll be okay in the end."

Aliya shook her head again, not even bothering to try and stop the irrefutable tears coming from her eyes. "He needs you, I need you, the universe needs you, and it's not fair. You are the most brilliant, the most brave, the most _amazing-" _She took in a shuddering breath. "And I don't want to say goodbye to you."

"Everybody dies. Even me. Even you. Even him, one day. I don't want him to accept that, ever. But the rest of us have to," River said slowly, and got a nod from her friend, "I've had a good life. A magnificent life. Because of the Doctor. Because of you. I have no regrets."

"But it won't be the same!" Aliya managed to get out through the tears. "You won't be there to do everything that we love so much. You won't be there to make the TARDIS feel the way it's supposed to feel. And…and…who's going to shoot his hats?" She had said it so seriously, so desperately, only to freeze and lock eyes with River before laughing loudly with her, even though both women were also crying.

But eventually, River stopped to just stare at Aliya with a sad but somewhat hopeful expression. "Just promise me something easy."

"Anything."

"Promise me that you'll look after him. You'll make sure that he's okay. This is going to hurt him, and he won't be able to get through it alone," River said, some more tears gathering at the edges of her eyes, "You know that I love that man to the end of the universe, just as I know that he feels the same way about me. And I also know what he's like when he loses people."

"I'll help him, I promise," Aliya agreed, nodding furiously, "And we will never forget you, River. We could never. We will always love you. Especially him. He will love you until the day he dies. And so will I."

River smiled, and it had a hint of strange melancholy to it. "Maybe he will. When you say it like that, I don't doubt it. But he loves you too."

"Not in the same way," The Gallifreyan shrugged and forced a smile.

"No," The archaeologist shook her head firmly, "He's in love with you too, Aliya."

"_Don't say that," _Aliya switched to Gallifreyan without thinking, but it didn't faze River at all. "_Don't you dare say that." _

"_He just doesn't know it yet. And believe me, this is going to set him back. But one day, when he can think about me without it hurting…he'll realise. And then you can take care of each other," _River replied, and it stunned Aliya how sure she was. "_You truly believe that the man with the two biggest hearts in the entire universe isn't capable of loving two people at the same time?" _

Aliya couldn't answer, she just shook her head. "No," She said, in a tone that made it clear that the topic wasn't up for discussion. "You're wrong. He loves the entire universe so much, he loves all of his friends, all of his companions, and I suppose that in his own way, he loves me too. But he is _in _love with you, and no one else, River."

"But you love him," River said, "And that's all I need. Because I know that he's safe with you, that he's in good hands. And you're strong, you'll be okay. And he'll keep you safe. You're both going to be fine. And my last act is making sure of that, and saving these people, and making sure that every last moment with both of you, with him, will still happen."

"You're so incredible," Aliya breathed, shaking her head in disbelief, "I hope that I can be like you."

"I hope that you can be like _you_."

"Oh, and I never said, but you know Jenny?"

"The generated anomaly?" River grinned, "If you're going to tell me that she's alive, then I already knew. I met her once, you know."

Aliya felt her mouth drop open for a moment before she broke into a huge smile. "That's amazing…she and I hated the idea of her not meeting you."

"See? Everything is going to work out alright in the end," River said after taking a deep, controlled breath. They both looked at the countdown next to them, which bore a number far too small for both of their likings.

And just like that, Aliya's silent tears renewed and she sniffed. "Please, I don't want you to- I don't -"

"And I don't want me to, but there's no other option."

"…you're a hero. I hope you realise that."

The word stopped River in her work, and the human woman slowly looked up. "I don't know if I've ever been called that before."

"Well you are. River Song, you are a hero. And you're _my _hero," Aliya smiled through the thick sheen of tears on her face, "That's never going to change. You are loved and chosen by the most incredible man in the universe. I'm going to tell people tales about you, tell Jenny stories of that great love, and what her stepmother accomplished, and the entire universe will know that River Song was a legend all her own long before and after she married the Doctor." With that, the older woman leaned forward and placed a kiss on River's forehead.

"Thank you," River managed to say, voice thick, clearly moved.

With a new piece of strength which didn't feel as though it would last long, Aliya managed to smile one last time. "Goodbye River."

"Goodbye, Aliya," River smiled at her great friend, "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you more," Aliya whispered, before a flash of light stole her away through time and space back to where she had come from. And River allowed herself to cry, but only until she saw the young Doctor on the floor beginning to stir. Then, she steeled herself and prepared herself for the only goodbye she would get from him in her final minutes.

* * *

When the light from the manipulator faded, Aliya was back in the Hub. The tears were still rolling down her face, and she couldn't be bothered with getting rid of them. But standing only a few metres away was Jenny, who somehow became the only person she wanted to see in the manner of a second.

Jenny, eyes full of sympathy, immediately came forward and pulled her father's best friend into a protective, comforting hug. There were no words which could make it better or come close to doing anything, but Jenny seemed to know it, and didn't try to say anything. And strangely enough, her just being there made it much better.

* * *

It wasn't until late the next morning that Aliya jerked from her restless sleep upon sensing the Doctor back in the rear of her mind. Immediately she leapt to her feet and found Jenny and Jack at the coffee machine.

"He's coming, I have to go," she said at top speed, and quickly kissed both of them, Jenny on the forehead and Jack on the lips, "Thank you for everything. Hope that he's okay."

With that, she took the invisible lift up to the Roald Dahl Pass, where sure enough, she could hear the unmistakeable sound of the TARDIS brakes. Her hearts beating fast, she ran towards the noise and ended up in an alley, where the blue box stood tall. But not, she realised with deflating sadness, proud. It looked…old. The paint was faded and some of the wood chipped. A few scorch marks tainted the exterior as well.

"I'm sorry," Aliya told the ship briefly, touching the wooden panels for a moment before pushing open the door and going inside. She had steeled herself, done her best to prepare for the magnitude of his grief. She was ready to see him utterly broken.

Which was why her hearts entirely stopped when she saw him up on the console platform with a manic grin on his face.

"Aliya!" He said, sounding pleased. "Great, perfect timing."

"For what?" She asked, rather scared of the answer.

"For my plan. Because we can do it, me and you, together, how does that sound?" He practically danced around the console, flicking switches, pressing buttons.

Hesitantly, but oddly hopeful, she answered, "That sounds good. What are we doing?"

He came to a halt in front of her, eyes glinting with something that made her ever so slightly nervous as he grinned. "We're going to save River."

There was a long silence as Aliya tried to process the thought and failed. Taking her silence as agreement, he laughed manically and went back to flying the TARDIS and making preparations. "Fantastic! Because it's not going to be easy, almost impossible, but you and me, we can do it, because we're both brilliant!"

"No," She said quietly, staring at him, knowing that her confusion and horror was written all over her face.

He rolled his eyes. "Well, alright, just me then, but seriously, we've got to work on your self-esteem after this."

Slowly, then desperately fast, she shook her head. "I meant no."

"No what?" Even in his confusion, with exaggerated hand gestures which should have comforted her, there was something in his eyes which scared her just a little.

"No, we can't save River."

Eight different emotions at least raced across his face at that. Confusion. Denial. Betrayal. Anger. Madness. Indifference. Fury. Determination.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He demanded, eyeing her across the few metres they were standing apart.

"It means no." She shakily whispered the words, and just as he approached her, she pulled several levers and slammed her hand on the button she needed before he got to her.

Surprising them both, a large force field appeared around them. He spun around, taking it in for a moment before glaring at her. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Stopping you." It was barely possible for her to get the words out.

His face twisted with anger. "Stopping me? From what?"

"Making a mistake," She wanted to turn away, away from those eyes which she barely recognised.

"A mistake?" Rising several levels, his voice made her cringe just the tiniest bit. "You're calling rescuing River _a mistake_?"

Drawing bravery from the talk she had had with River, Aliya brought herself up to her full height and lifted her chin, meeting his eyes, as much as she didn't want to. "Her death is fixed! We can't change it, the paradox would be too big. Rescuing anyone from death is huge, and almost always a mistake. And River Song? She is so far from an ordinary person…she has too much impact, the universe wouldn't be able to take a change like her!"

"The universe is a _better _place with her in it!" He bellowed, only for her to nod.

"Of course it is…but not after her time," She pleaded with her eyes, trying to get him to understand, to not look at her with the disgust he was right now.

"I've changed things before!"

"And things have never ended well! You can't just forget every rule we were raised with! You'd be crossing your own timeline, changing a future that has already been written and seen, changing a fixed point, releasing an impact personality back into the universe!"

"I will do that and _more _if it means I can have her back," He growled dangerously, "And I will do it without you if I have to." He tilted his head back to speak to the ship. "Switch off containment cell." Expectantly and confidently, he waited, while Aliya wished in her head. When the cell around them didn't so much as flicker, she let out a breath she had been holding, just as he backed her up against the wall of it. "Why won't she listen to me?!"

"Because she's trying to stop you as well!" Aliya shouted back. "Because we can't let you do it!"

His lips curled bitterly. "You called yourself her friend! Were you ever really that if you are going to stand around and let her die?"

"You are so horrible!" She cried, a tear leaving her eye. "And pig-headed and stupid! Why do you think I put the cell around both of us?"

That made him stop. Suddenly a flicker of confusion and curiosity burned in the eyes which still held a madness in them. "Why?" He asked, sounding distracted, unsure.

A sob tore through her body as she gazed up at him. "Because I don't trust myself any more than you!" His eyes flicked up suddenly, eyeing her this time with something different. "How else can I be sure one of us doesn't do something horrific? Do you think I don't want to save her? Do you think I don't want to join you in your mad, impossible rescue mission and come out victorious, River Song alive?"

"You do?" The Doctor's voice was quiet, almost like a child's.

She gave him a tight, sad smile. "Of course I do. I loved her too, you know."

Slowly, he began to beam. "Then let's do it," He said quietly, excitedly. "We'll have her back. Everything will be as it should be. You. Me. River. Together." His hand reached out to take hers.

Her free hand wiped another tear from her eye. "We _can't_."

His expression dropped, but this time not to one of anger or fury. This time it was hurt, betrayal, and defeat, and each one cut into her like a knife hacking away at her hearts.

"Why?" He asked again, sounding so sad, so heartbreakingly sad.

"Because it's wrong," She whispered, her shoulders sinking, "And you know that it is."

That was the moment that the Doctor gave up. Aliya saw the hope leave his eyes in one devastating second, and in one more, he was clutching her like a lifeline, and much too hard.

"I can't do this," He said, his voice cracking as he buried his face into her shoulder, "I just can't."

"_I know," _She murmured in Gallifreyan, _"I know." _

"_Make it go away, make it stop," _Slowly, hopelessly, they sank to the floor of the TARDIS in the centre of the containment cell. _"Five years and I can't make it stop."_

That one surprised her just a little, but at the same time only made the whole thing so much worse. _"It's been five years for you since she died?" _

"_I thought it would get better. She said it would get better but it doesn't, it gets worse, with every passing seconds it gets worse!" _He sobbed, letting her rock him in her arms, his tears soaking through her shirt.

And so the two Time Lords sat there and cried until no more tears came, and until they were both so exhausted that sleep took them over and they gently fell down on the glass floor, not to wake for many hours.

**I'm sorry. Really. **

**Please let me know what you think, this is such a crucial chapter! **

**I can't believe that's it writing River for me! (except the epilogue of this story, which will be her final thoughts in the Library, and in addition to her expected angst, there will be a sort of teaser as to what the next installment in this series is going to be about)**

**As most of you should know by now, this story is heavily AU and you can rely on nothing that occurs/is revealed after Series 5 to happen or be true. River is NOT the astronaut, she did not kill the Doctor, she was on the beach and that was all. Yes, the epilogue will explain that she actually knows he didn't die. The change in Series 6 is simple. Aliya's arrival resulted in a premature Pond departure, making Kovarian have to change her plan to something rather different...hence, normal nonassassin!Pond-babies, and Time Storm which results in River, etc as explained in the reception chapter. **

**Yes, River is properly dead now. **

**Love you all, and sorry again, **

**-MayFairy :) **

Anonymous Review Replies

_Emma - _Glad you like the mother/daughter vibe between Jenny and Aliya, I like it too, and yes, it is important later for reasons you can probably guess. No more Jaliya for a while now, sorry, but there will be quite a bit more before the end of this story, I promise! And no matter what, they will always be a special kind of brOTP. :) Thanks for the review!   



	51. Grief

**Hiya everyone! It's been 8 days and I'm thinking that's not bad effort at all. :)**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter: OptimisticLivvy, ZackAttack96, Nikki Pond, SurvivorHawke, LadyMaluHolmes, Guest, SplendiferousBowties (LOVE the username, btw), Emilygirlxox, Spirit-of-the-Rain, SasuTenLuvr, TheGirlBehindTheRayBans, Squirrel-face, TheGirlWhoImagined, skidney, Mrs. 11th, and RYCBAR124! **

**My review nearly doubled for that last chapter, which was pretty awesome! I guess it was an impact chapter, but still, thanks a bunch guys! *hugs***

**Now, this chapter, while titled 'Grief', would be more accurately titled as 'the chapter of perpetual crying', or some variation thereof. The name 'EVERYONE CRIES' has a certain ring to it... XD **

**So again sorry for major angst, but there are some nice little cute moments in here too, I promise.**

* * *

_4 years earlier…_

It had been a year, and the Doctor still wasn't coping. He had tried to keep busy by getting in trouble and constantly nearly getting killed, but even that barely worked. And he would always eventually return to the TARDIS and find himself alone and just as broken as he had been when he left.

Finally, just when he thought that he couldn't take it anymore, the TARDIS surprised him. He was sitting on the jump seat when a hologram appeared in front of him. A hologram of River.

"_Sweetie, if you're watching this, then I'm dead and you're not coping. If for some reason this isn't the case, then stop watching right now and wait until it is," _She was stern, and sounded ever so wifely that he found himself laughing just a little. _"I want you to know that no matter what happens, it wasn't your fault. I'm only human, my death is an inevitable thing, you know that. But don't feel guilty, you did the opposite of ruin my life, you saved it and made it a thousand times brighter, more vibrant and beautiful than most people could dream of. And you loved me. How could I ever want more than that?" _The unconditional love in her eyes staggered him, and his hearts ached, seeing her after a year was more painful than he could bear. _"And I'm sorry, I know you hate endings, but there's nothing I can do about that. Everything has to end. But not you. You can keep going – you always do,"_ She smiled, her eyes seeming to be a little teary, _"I know you can, even if you think you can't. You have what you didn't have before, what I don't think you're ever had before. You have Aliya. We both know that she will do everything she can to make sure that you don't feel alone."_

"Too late," He muttered.

"_And don't be all hopeless and think it's impossible,"_ River rolled her eyes in a way which almost made him smile, _"Let her in, let her help because I can guarantee that she wants to. Don't be distant. She has to lose me too, don't forget for one second that you're not the only one who will be mourning. Please, my love…keep her with you. You need each other more than you know, and that will be even more true now. Run, run as far as you have to, sweetie…but let her run with you,"_ His wife smiled sadly. _"Goodbye, sweetie." _

The hologram flickered and faded, leaving him staring, mouth slightly open as if he had been about to say something, but he couldn't be sure if he had.

* * *

_Present_

When Aliya woke it took her a moment to remember why she was lying on the cold and rather uncomfortable glass floor of the TARDIS console room. She became aware of a weight on her stomach, and when she looked down she saw the Doctor's head resting on it. His entire body was curled into hers, and his face resembled that of a sleeping child's. He looked so painfully young, and even asleep there was just a hint of his inner turmoil in his features. A hurt child.

Her arms were already gently resting around him, but she moved her hand to brush his hair gently, unsure of what else to do. "I'm sorry," She whispered, and the memory of saying goodbye to River flashed through her mind. Grief took her back into its clutches and she allowed herself to shed a few tears before pulling herself together. It wasn't about her anymore. It was about him, and making sure that he eventually got through it, no matter how long it took.

Just then he began to stir, so she stopped stroking his hair and went to take her hand back, only for his to dart out and gingerly move it back to where it had been.

"Keep doing it," He said quietly and sleepily, "Feels-nice." After hesitating for a moment, she resumed stroking his hair and had to smile just a little when he made a small contented noise.

"So I was thinking that maybe we should have breakfast. Food makes everything better, right?"

He didn't answer for over thirty seconds, and eventually he just said, "Uh, yeah, sure, whatever you want." That was when he seemed to properly wake up, and he jerked away from her, his eyes darting between where his head had been resting and her face. Then he shook his head the tiniest bit and his face became frighteningly blank.

"Doctor?" She asked after she got up and found him still just sitting there. "Breakfast, remember?"

"Right, sure," He muttered, and slowly rose, walking past her and up the stairs. They walked down the hallway and she saw him stop outside the usual kitchen. But then he turned on his heel and walked off. She eventually caught up and found him in a different kitchen – a cute, small one with pale blue walls and white countertops and cupboards.

"What was wrong with the other one?" Her hands automatically got out the custard and box of fish fingers. She poured the custard into a bowl and followed the instructions on the fish finger box until they were ready. Both were placed in front of the Doctor, and he didn't even acknowledge her, he just began to eat at a snail's pace.

"It was _hers._" He didn't elaborate, but he didn't have to. It meant that he and River had eaten in that kitchen together, probably frequently for her to have 'ownership'. She had no idea what to say to that, so she kept quiet and just made herself some toast, which was one of the few things other than salad which she could actually make herself.

Conversation was difficult to make when he clearly didn't want to talk, so after three attempts she stopped trying and just ate her food, though her eyes never left him. Once they were done she cleaned up the dishes and tried to catch his gaze.

"So what do you want to do now?"

There was a long pause and she thought he wasn't going to answer until he simply said, "There's nothing I can think of."

That answer worried her. "Why don't we take a trip somewhere? We could go to an old battlefield, or a tomb, or…that planet you mentioned with all the horses! You could teach me to ride, like you said you would." She smiled at him encouragingly, searching for something in his green eyes. But they were just empty, dead, barely seeing her even as he lifted them in her direction.

"What would be the point?"

"It…might be fun."

His eyes narrowed a fraction. "Honestly, what _I want _is to be left alone."

"I…" Aliya bit her lip, "I don't think that's a good idea."

"You're not my mother, Aliyanadevoralundar, it's not your job to look after me," He told her bitterly.

"Actually it is," She retorted with a bit more bravery.

He stood up and eyed her with a desperate sort of anger. "No, it's not, and I swear, if you don't leave me alone right now there will be hell to pay." She flinched and quickly made an exit, trying to hide how much his words stung. But the hurt disappeared the moment she heard the sound of his sobbing coming from the room she had just left.

* * *

It didn't take her long to dial the number for Torchwood, and she took the phone to the jump seat, sitting on it dejectedly. She had spent the rest of the day keeping out of his way until she could sense from the feel of his mind that he had once again fallen asleep, meaning she felt less nervous moving around the TARDIS.

And now she was calling Jack, because she just needed to hear a friendly voice.

"_Hey Alibear, is that you?" _

"Yeah," She answered, a small smile dawning on her face just hearing the familiar sound of her nickname.

"…_.how is he?" _

"Not good," Her fingers played with the cord of the phone. She didn't mention that he had wanted to save River, that act of desperation was too private. "I knew it was going to be bad. I thought I was prepared for this, but-"

"_Not the case?" _Jack sounded understandably worried for their friend, and she nodded before remembering that he couldn't see her.

"He doesn't even want to talk to me, he threatened that if I didn't leave him alone-" Her voice broke and she bit her lip.

There was a silence. _"If you didn't leave him alone that he'd what?"_

Her hand twisted in her hair. "I don't know, Jack."

"_But he'd never hurt you. He's the Doctor, he doesn't do that." _

"I always thought so, always had so much faith in him, always been so sure that he could never hurt anyone, especially me. And yet – there's a tiny part of me that isn't so sure," It made her hearts pang just admitting it. But for a moment there in that kitchen she had been scared. "He…he barely seems like himself anymore. If it weren't for the tiny bit of his mind I can sense, I would almost think he was a different person."

"_You gonna be okay?" _

"I just needed to hear a friendly voice. And hey, I don't matter right now, remember? It's about him. I have to make sure he doesn't do anything stupid," Aliya shrugged and stretched.

"_Me and Jenny are both rooting for you," _He answered, and the thought of the two of them made her smile.

"Thanks." Her eyes drifted up to the stairs where she noticed the Doctor standing at the top, his eyes on her, expression unfathomable. "Got to go. Bye." She stood, put the phone on its hook and sat back down on the jump seat. "What?" She asked tiredly.

He descended the stairs and got on his knees in front of her, and her brow furrowed in confusion. Before she could ask what he was doing, he took her face in his hands and stared deeply into her eyes. Briefly, he took her breath away because even in mourning, even empty, he was so beautiful, so heartbreakingly beautiful. Her broken angel.

"Doctor, I-"

He shushed her. There was a long period of silence, where she watched him curiously, all too aware of their proximity but knowing it wasn't intentional on his part, it was just the way he was, he didn't have any concept of personal space.

"Aliya," He murmured, looking back into her eyes from where they had drifted to her knees, "Don't."

"Don't what?" She blinked, unsure of what he meant. "_I don't understand." _The whisper was in Gallifreyan. He just shook his head.

"Don't, for a moment think that I could ever hurt you," His thumb brushed her cheek softly, "You are the only thing I have left. And you are precious to me. I could never, ever hurt you. And you do matter. Always."

Aliya swallowed thickly before trying and failing to blink away a tear that had fallen from her eye. Instead, his thumb wiped it away, right before his arms moved to her waist and pulled her up into a painfully tight hug. Her arms wrapped around his neck while her head rested on his shoulder. He didn't quite feel the same as he used to, but it was close enough and as good as she knew she was going to get for a long while.

"I know," She whispered to him, "I know, Theta."

Just then music began to play. The TARDIS emitted an orchestral piece which was slow and beautiful, neither too happy nor too sad, the perfect in-between. With her feet on top of his, he began to move along to it, and before long they were gradually dancing a very slow and very gentle dance around the console. Their eyes never met and they never said a word, they just danced until the music ended, and continued through the next song, and the next, and the next. It went on for hours, and she lost count of how many times they circled the console, because the number was just too high, and what did it matter anyway?

Finally there came a point where no new song came. That was when they wordlessly released their grip on each other. He shifted awkwardly for a moment before speaking.

"Um, so I was wondering if you would, er, be my Time Lord teddy bear again tonight?" His eyes were soft and childlike again, and when she nodded, he silently offered her his hand. They walked until they reached the library, and once they were in front of one of the bigger sofas, he stretched on it and shut his eyes immediately.

After hovering unsurely for a moment, she lay down next to him. She didn't know whether to feel awkward or flattered that he wanted her with him. So she lay still and tried to sleep, though after ten minutes his arm curled around her waist, holding her close to him, indeed just like a teddy bear.

If it helped him sleep, she knew she couldn't bring herself to stop him, no matter how confusing or regressive it was for her head and her hearts.

_He doesn't want you like this, _She had to keep reminding herself, _He doesn't feel about you the way you feel about him. He just needs someone to made him feel safe. He doesn't want to feel alone. _

Even so, she could sense that he still felt very much alone, though her presence seemed to help a little, which made her happy. Feeling as though she had accomplished something, she let sleep take her.

* * *

That first day had given Aliya hope. Hope that maybe they would in fact be okay. Unfortunately, it became apparent within a mere matter of days that her hope had been misguided. Three nights in, she found him already asleep with an actual teddy bear under his arm.

It was stupid, she knew, to feel slightly sad about it. It was better for both of them for him to not be cuddling her – for want of a better word – in his sleep. But when she retreated to her bedroom for the first time in quite a while, it wasn't until she lay down to sleep that she realised something rather important.

The five times she had slept since returning, she had slept without needing to take sleeping pills, and had not found herself screaming because of the dark. Thinking that she might have kicked the fear at least a little, she tried to just sleep, but soon felt the terror seize her as it always had.

"Why didn't I need them?" She wondered out loud. When she got no answer she just took one of the pills and lay her head back down on the pillow before going to sleep.

* * *

Things continued to go downhill from there. Although he had spoken to her quite a bit the first day, he gradually become more and more silent. By the time she had been replaced by the stuffed toy, they barely exchanged five words a day, though not for lack of her trying.

It was as if…he had just shut himself off. He stared right through her when she was in front of him, like he couldn't even see her.

There would be other times, Aliya found as the weeks passed and blurred together into months, that she would just find him crying.

But the time she found him in the hallway was different. She hadn't been able to find him for nearly four days, and had searched all the usual places. Eventually she began to go further into the TARDIS than she usually did, and when she still couldn't find him, she went further than she could recall ever doing before. Perhaps even further than she had gone into her own TARDIS, though it was impossible to be sure.

It took her thirteen hours to find him. And when she did, he wasn't crying. He was screaming. It occurred to her that the reason he had retreated this far was probably because he wanted to be able to scream without being heard. But she did hear it. She heard it all too clearly.

The Doctor was sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall of the corridor. His head was between his knees and the sound of his screams pierced her ears and her hearts. It was the most terrible, most horrific sound she had ever heard in her entire life. The sound of pure pain, pure hopelessness, and lord knows what else.

"Doctor," She tried, but got no reaction, he didn't even look up, "Theta." There was a moment where she had to stop, and take a deep breath because she doubted herself. Initially she had been so sure that she could do this, that helping him wouldn't be easy but definitely possible. But that _sound_…it killed her inside and it took everything she had to not just sit down and scream with him or cry or do something equally useless.

But instead, Aliya summoned all the strength she had and sat next to him. Slowly, she wrapped her arm around his shoulders and pulled him to her. He didn't stop screaming but he didn't resist her either. And there they stayed until his voice began to crack and break. She could smell the salt of his tears and figured that some were probably her own. Meanwhile, he eventually relaxed and let his head drop back into the curve of her neck, being supported by her shoulder.

Whether it was from defeat or exhaustion or both, she didn't know. It made no difference. Her hand slowly came up to stroke his hair like she had on that first day, and amongst the blur of his thoughts and overwhelming emotions – pain, loss, grief, mourning, anger, hopelessness, desperation, despair – she felt his mind slow and decrescendo until everything was eerily quiet for a moment or two. Then…he slept.

* * *

It came to be that she lost count over the weeks - and later, months - how many times she found him crying or screaming or in some state. It happened so many times that it should have felt normal, but alas, every time it hurt just as much, and she could tell that the same was true for him as well.

Their other interactions reached an all-time low. He didn't even speak. Eventually she stopped trying, and weeks would go by without her having uttered a word aloud, because she would be the only one listening.

It all came to the point that she no longer had any idea what to do. She could hardly help him if he never spoke to her, they were more estranged than they had been in their centuries apart, with him travelling and her on Gallifrey. And that thought was a disturbing one.

One day, she decided to call Jack again.

"_Alibear, how's it going?" _

Even answering seemed too difficult. Just using her voice was something she found herself to be out of practice with, and even then she didn't know what to say.

"_That bad?"_

"I…can I talk to her?" Jack knew her well enough to not need to ask who she meant, and soon Jenny's voice was the one on the end of the line.

"_How's my dad?" _Her youthful voice was worried but unmistakably optimistic.

"Not good, Jenny, keeping you away from him was the best decision I ever made," Aliya sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. Sleep, even with the pills, had not been coming easy due to nightmares about darkness and falling. Also, thanks to the Doctor…screaming.

"_Is it as bad as you thought it would be?" _

"Worse," The Time Lady admitted, "So much worse."

"_Oh. Is he going to be okay?" _

"Yeah," It was a blatant lie because she couldn't know for sure, and currently doubted it far too much, "But it's going to take a very long time. I think it's been a year and he's still moving backwards."

"_A year?!" _

"It's nothing to us, Jenny, like a week for humans, a year is nothing, usually."

"_Usually?"_

"It's hard when the only person you've seen in that year wants nothing to do with you."

"_I'm sure that's not true."_

"Jenny…" Aliya bit her lip. "I see him almost every day, every week at the least, but we haven't spoken in six months. It just feels like…like he hates me. Or worse, doesn't even care." And there it was, her true reason for calling. Not just to hear a friendly voice, but to admit what she had been denying. That it felt like he hated her, or had forgotten she even existed. There was no more perfect kind of hell for her except for perhaps perpetual darkness.

And she'd felt that if his daughter could still have faith, if she still liked, trusted and believed in her…then maybe she could last a bit longer. Give him more time to give her…something.

* * *

Two weeks after her conversation with Jenny, Aliya had been on her way to the library when the sound of music reached her ears. It was being played on a piano and was quiet and simplistic. As she changed direction and slowly moved towards it, she realised that every note was hesitantly played. As if the player wasn't sure, as if he continually meant to stop and then changed his mind.

When she got to the music room, she remained by the door and out of sight. But she did peek in to confirm what she was hearing.

The Doctor sat at the grand piano, slightly hunched over, eyes on the keys. His jacket was draped over a nearby music stand and his shirt sleeves were pushed to his elbows. He stopped playing momentarily only to start a different song, this time without the hesitations. It was tentative initially but quickly he gained some confidence and played with more fluidity.

With a sharp intake of breath, Aliya recognised the Gallifreyan lullaby, the one he had sung to her in their adolescence, and the one she had sent her son to sleep with every night. And more recently…the one she had sung to _his _child…to Jenny.

"Can you sing it?" The sound of his voice made her jump, as well as unexpectedly burst into tears. After six months of agonising silence…he had spoken to her. Sheepishly, she ducked into view and smiled despite her wet eyes, which if he noticed, he didn't acknowledge.

"Um…" Suddenly she didn't know what to say. "Yes, if you want me to."

He nodded, shifting his gaze back to the black and white keys. "Don't use the words," He murmured, "Just…sing."

So she sang, and the comforting vocal melody blended with the piano to form something wonderfully familiar. Something from home. When the song came to a close both of their parts fell away and there was a moment of silence where the music just sank in.

"You should have sung too," Aliya said quietly, still watching him. He glanced at her with an odd look in his eye.

"Can't." It then silently passed between them the reason for that. The screaming. The constant screaming. It explained the rasping quality in his voice. Of course he couldn't sing.

Unsure of how to respond, she shifted awkwardly and tugged on her t-shirt. "Do you want to have some fish custard?"

He frowned. "Why are you always trying to feed me?"

Without pointing out that she hadn't been able to do much of anything for six months, she backpedalled. "Er, no, I just meant…I thought if you wanted some, I might…try it?"

The old him, the _true _him would have beamed like a child hearing her say that. As it was, he lifted an eyebrow curiously, surprised. "Um…yeah, sure, good." With that they walked to the kitchen silently. He began to cook enough fish fingers for two, and instructed her to pour the custard into a large bowl. Eventually they sat down to eat, but instead of starting he simply watched her expectantly.

Chuckling, Aliya warily lifted a fish finger from the plate and dunked it into the bowl of custard. The golden-brown and yellow result looked incredibly unappealing, particularly because she never really ate meat anyway. But she took a large bite, with his eyes on her, and forced herself to swallow the rather disgusting combination.

"Well?"

Her answer was a blatant lie. "That's delicious!" She exclaimed, and forced a smile. She had lied in an attempt to get a smile back from him but she knew deep down that her luck wasn't going to be that good. He hadn't smiled since River's death. It wasn't however a complete loss because something that looked like satisfaction flashed through his eyes. This war was about small victories – and she had just gained one. There was, however, the slight downside that she had keep eating until they together finished all of the food.

_The things I do for you, _she thought with a mental roll of her eyes. And yet, there was something pleasantly companionable about eating together, off the same plate even. It was more interaction than what had transpired between them for months.

That was if she wasn't counting the screaming fits and bouts of crying – which she never did.

* * *

After fish custard, things got a little better. It was slow progress, and a small amount of it. But they were talking, just a bit. And a few days later they began playing chess again. They didn't talk as they played, but then they never talked outside of necessity regardless.

While they had been rather evenly matched at chess _before, _the Doctor this time began to pull ahead rather quickly. Although it was just a guess, Aliya thought it might be because he was using every thought passage this time around. IT would make sense because it was obvious that all of his non-chess related thoughts were too painful to think of.

But about two months after fish custard, Aliya found a gunstrap in one of the corridors. A gunstrap that had belonged to River. She started sobbing upon seeing it, surprising herself. But it occurred to her that she had been so busy helping the Doctor deal with his grief and coming to grips with Song's death that she hadn't had time to properly grieve herself.

So he found her crying on the floor in the middle of the corridor. She looked up and saw his eyes land on the gun strap, and his jaw set into a firm line. He sat opposite her and took it out of her hands. She sniffed. His eyes were wide and sad, but only a few silent tears fell from them. This time it was _him_ who hugged _her_, him that comforted this one time, Her hands clutched at the jacket her tears were staining and didn't let go.

* * *

A few weeks later Aliya came into the console room to hear an unmistakable clanking sound coming from underneath the console platform. Sure enough, when she went down the stairs, the Doctor was there. Goggles on, jacket off, sleeves up. And tinkering with the underbelly of the TARDIS console.

It was quite possibly the most beautiful sight she had ever seen. She couldn't help it – she found herself beaming and almost laughing giddily. He heard her and turned around.

"Hey," She said, smiling at him.

"Hey," The way he said it almost made it sound like he was going to smile back, but he didn't. Still, he generally seemed a little more like himself, which was always a good thing. "Just woke up and realised I'd been neglecting her," He gestured behind him.

"And?"

There was something in his eyes, something very aware, which told her that he knew exactly what she meant, that he had finally realised just how much progress was necessary and how much she looked for it, like a lifeline.

He shrugged. "And it feels…good. I've missed her."

Her eyes flicked between him and the machine. "I'll leave you two alone then," She said with a small, teasing smirk, and he nodded.

"Thanks."

Feeling lighter, she went to find a new book to read.

* * *

After he began tinkering with the TARDIS again, things got better. He seemed more himself, and they even took a few small trips, to cafes and bookshops and other such low key places. He started to force smiles, smiles that weren't even really smiles at all because of how fake they were. But it still filled her with excitement because for once he seemed to want to pretend to be happy, which meant he knew that was a good thing to be. And gradually, his eyes got lighter. They were still heavy, still sad, still disturbingly quiet. But they were so much less empty, so much less dead.

So as they sat in a French café in 1983, a thought occurred to Aliya which hadn't occurred to her for over a year, not since before their six months of silence.

Maybe…just maybe…they were going to get out of this with their sanity. Maybe they would be okay with time. Or at least…a little okay.

* * *

"Doctor?" There was no answer, but Aliya didn't let the familiar silence perturb her as she slowly came closer to the unmoving figure on the jump seat. "Doctor?"

He finally moved to look at her, albeit still rather absently. "Yes...sorry. I was..."

"In your mind palace?" The joke actually almost made his lips twitch with amusement, and although she couldn't show it, the small action made her so happy.

"You've been watching too much Sherlock again," He muttered only for her to nod in agreement, but her hand had gently clasped his arm before he could turn away.

"Actually, Doctor..." She took a deep breath, slightly nervous at what he would say. It felt so wrong to be wary around him, but his grief had made him unpredictable and often simply hollow. "I was wondering if, instead of playing chess today, you could teach me to swim?" When he didn't answer immediately, she added, "That is, only if you want to, it's just that I suppose I think I'm ready for it."

After a long pause, he nodded in an almost imperceptible way. "No, that's good, that's good...good idea," He shot her one of his forced smiles and slowly got up from the jumpseat where he had been sitting for hours by himself. "Grab a swimsuit from the wardrobe and I'll meet you in the swimming pool."

Ten minutes later, Aliya hesitantly idled into the swimming pool room, absently fingering the one piece she had worn to Space Florida. It seemed like it had been eons since that day, as so much had changed since then.

Spying a masculine figure already in the pool, she shot the Doctor a nervous smile as he swam over to her. She was surprised to see a flicker of light in his eyes, the water seemed to be doing him good.

"You seem a little cheerier today," The comment was a little dangerous. She knew it could backfire, but he merely smiled again, and this time she could see in his eyes it wasn't entirely fake.

"A refreshing dip in the pool, just what I needed," He answered, before shooting her a small smirk, "But you're stalling."

Aliya stiffened. "Am not," Her reply was too quick and she winced as she realized as she had unknowingly proven him right.

"It's fine, it's just water, it won't hurt you," Suddenly his voice was gentle, soothing, and she took a deep breath before coming down the pool steps slowly, watching the water inch up her torso. When she got to the floor of the pool, the water was up to her shoulders. He noticed her slightly sped up breathing and came closer so they were only a few feet apart. "That's good, see? Not scary at all."

"Speak for yourself," The blonde mumbled, "Why did I suggest this again?"

"Because no companion of mine is going to be beaten by a mere body of water," He said, "Now, we're just slowly going to walk through to the deep end, and once we're there, you can learn to tread water. You're clever, you'll figure it out." He grabbed her by the shoulder and began to pull her backwards, but when the water got to her mouth the Time Lady panicked and backtracked quickly.

"No, I've changed my mind, Time Lords were not born to swim!" She spluttered, relaxing a little when the water was halfway down her neck once more. The Doctor, quite far away now, came towards her only for her to inch back with every step he took. He looked amused.

"I'm a Time Lord, and I can swim," He pointed out.

"But you're a freak," She retorted, "Swimming is unnatural." Stubborn and determined, She crossed her arms.

For a second it looked as though the Doctor was actually going to laugh. Instead he just shook his head exasperatedly while smiling. "Aliya, you're being ridiculous."

"You're being ridiculous," She mumbled lamely.

"This was your idea!"

"And I take it back."

"Are you really going to admit you can't do something that humans learn before they are even ten years old?"

Although no words came out of her mouth, his question had made her eyes snap up to look at him, alight with a small spark. He'd struck a nerve. She felt the usual rush of guilt that she considered herself above humans in that way, but the idea that there was something they could do that she couldn't...

"Fine," Aliya murmured, and her eyes flicked back up to him to regard him with slight submission, "I suppose it is quite important for me to learn."

The Doctor slowly nodded and stretched his hands out for her to take them. "Exactly. Just take my hands, I won't let you go under."

After a moment's hesitation, Aliya slowly came back over to him and took his hands with a vice-like grip, and he laughed, for the first time she could remember since he had come back for her. Even if he was laughing _at_ her, hearing him laugh in any way was music to her ears.

They started to slowly move back into the deeper water, and she knew that he could tell that she was getting nervous again. Immediately scowling, she made it clear that it wasn't as funny to her.

"Stop looking at me like I'm about to spontaneously combust," Her warning just made him smile wider.

"Then stop looking so nervous, you're scrunching your nose up," He tapped the tip of said nose, only making her more annoyed. The water was again skimming the bottom of her mouth and the panic filled her eyes again, and she trembled so much that he immediately planted her hands on his shoulders, where her fingers tightened like a vice.

"Doctor-what-do-I-do?" She asked at lightning speed, and he immediately lifted her by the arms so that her shoulders were out of the water and she was no longer in danger of drowning.

"Just breathe. I'm not going to let you fall or drown. But you're smart, you know that you have to kick your legs," He said, not unkindly, and she did as he said, and immediately felt more support in the water than before, "There, exactly like that, only now try to use your arms as well."

Aliya's head shook rapidly in an obvious 'no'. "I'll sink if I let go."

His smile was no longer condescending, but more sympathetic. "No, you won't, because I've got you." Feeling his hands shift to her waist to provide more support, Aliya took a very slow and deep breath before removing her own hands from his shoulders and shoving them into the water. It wasn't too difficult to figure out to push the water away in a similar motion to what her legs were doing and she felt her confidence build a little as her body rose up in the water.

"Is this right?" She asked breathlessly as her eyes continually darted down to her submerged limbs.

"It's fine, you're doing great Aliya, just keep it up because I'm going to let go of you," His voice was warm and encouraging and made her a little calmer despite the daunting prospect he was stating. Allowing herself to nod at his words, she pushed harder with her arms and feet.

But then suddenly he wasn't holding her up and she was sinking. Before she could logically consider her reaction she jumped forward and latched onto the Doctor like a koala. His arms immediately wound around her back and their bodies vibrated in parallel as he laughed at her just a little.

"Aliya...I think you're being my personal limpet again," He said slowly, and Aliya simply snorted indignantly while keeping her head against his chest.

"That's better than being a drowned Time Lord," Her reply just made him laugh harder at her expense.

"Aliya, you almost had it, now just let go and keep yourself up, you'll be absolutely fine," His patience was rather surprising considering that he normally had the attention span of a five year old. But that was more the old him, she reminded herself. He wasn't back to that yet. She caught glimpses…but she knew they still had a long way to go before they got there.

So, carefully, she let her legs drop and resume their kicking. Then abruptly, she let go of him and used her arms to keep herself up. It worked for a few seconds before she sunk a little too low in the water and again grabbed onto him in the same moment that he had reached for her.

It wasn't going to be an instant fix…but it was progress.

* * *

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

The two Time Lords both hovered in the doorway of the TARDIS before taking each other's hands and walking out into the bright sunlight. He carried a small slab of stone while she held a piece of paper and a picture frame.

Together they walked through the cemetery - the same one where Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart's grave was, even if the man was not yet dead at the point of the Doctor's time stream yet. They found a secluded spot underneath a pretty tree which they deemed appropriate.

The Doctor knelt and wriggled the slab of stone until it was securely wedged into the ground, the words facing up. They had both found themselves quietly crying as they did it, because it felt like a whole new stage of letting go, which was not easy and never would be.

But then they finally stopped and stood back to admire their handiwork. The memorial slab read:

_River Song_

_Confusing wife and loyal friend _

Aliya tried to keep a straight face but had to laugh at his choice of inscription. She had checked several times when it had been done that he was sure about his adjective choice, but he had insisted.

He glanced over at her and had to laugh himself. "She'd have tried to kill me again if I'd done something boring or generic."

"You're right," She admitted, still smirking, "Honestly, it's rather perfect."

"Besides, it's not as if…" He sucked in a deep breath. "As if there's a body to bury. It's just a memorial."

"It's good to have something to visit," Aliya got on her knees and opened the piece of paper to reveal an utterly gorgeous pencil sketch of River which had been done by the Doctor himself. It captured her perfectly, even every separate outrageous curl of her hair. The picture frame was the one that held the picture taken in Austria, the one she had shown to Jenny, with the three of them in one of their happiest moments. She placed both above the inscribed stone and then took the Doctor's hand again. "It's a nice way to remember her. And we have a place to visit when we miss her."

"But we always miss her," He murmured quietly, and she shot him a sad smile.

"Yeah…but you know what she'd say."

"What?" He smiled a little just thinking of all the possibilities.

"She would tell us to stop being sad and to go and get into trouble instead," Aliya said decidedly, and he chuckled ever so slightly.

After ten seconds or so, he glanced over at her before smiling with a small mischievous glint in his eyes. "Well then, Aliyanadevoralundar, what do you say to us going to find an adventure?"

* * *

**I really hope you guys liked it! Was the grief realistic? Overdone, underdone? Did you like the fluff? **

**Let me know in a review, you know I love it when you do. :D **

**Now, a nice little promise for next chapter...Doctor/Jenny family reunion! However that does mean a potential Daliya fight but hey, we can't win them all. Also, some nice little adventures which may or may not trail off into something not so nice and not so little...but SPOILERS! All I'm saying is, it's bad and start getting worried now. :P **

**Love you all, *blows kisses***

**-MayFairy :) **

_Anonymous Review Replies_

Guest - _Thanks for the review! Here's the chapter, hope you enjoyed it. :D _


	52. Overdue Reunion

**10 days, not bad, not bad... :P **

**Thanks for all your reviews: ZackAttack96, loulouflowerpower, SplendiferousBowties, Emilygirlxox, LadyMaluHolmes, TheGirlWhoImagined, Guests (x3), SasuTenLuvr, skidney, Nikki Pond, Purplephonesock, OptimisticLivvy, Mrs. 11th, Emma, and last bit not least, toavoidconversation, who after a long absence has finally caught back up! *happy party* You're all fantastic. **

**This chapter has the long awaited reunion between the Doctor and Jenny, plus some nice and not-so-nice Daliya stuff, so hopefully you all enjoy! :) **

* * *

"Run!"

"I am!"

"Then run faster!"

"Listen here you-"

Aliya's intent to fling verbal abuse disappeared for a small while when the Doctor doubled back and grabbed her hand, pulling her along with renewed speed.

They could hear the enraged cries of the tribesmen chasing them, as well as the sound of their poison-tipped arrows whipping through the air – though luckily falling short. Thankfully, a rectangular blue shape had just come into view in the distance.

"Come along, Angel," The bowtie-wearing man panted, still somehow grinning as he forced them to push their already screaming limbs just that little bit harder. As they got closer to the police box he clicked his fingers and the door swung open. They dashed inside and had shut the door half a second before they heard six arrows embed themselves into the wood.

For a moment they just leant against the door and caught their breath. But then their eyes met and the two of them burst out laughing. It was a loud, almost manic laughter that could only come from brushing with death. And even the Doctor was shaking with the force of it, his eyes alight and his lips pulled into a large grin.

To the woman who had consoled him in his fits of grief and more recently put a lot of work into getting him smiling and laughing again…the sight was rather beautiful. When they were both able to speak but still red-faced, there was a question to be asked.

"Why did you call me Angel?" She watched as he smiled strangely and started heading for the console platform.

"Well, it's your name," He said, and shrugged.

The blonde frowned at that. "Yes…but I never go by it and you never call me by it either."

"But it's your chosen name, so we should use it sometimes."

"I don't see why," Aliya said stiffly as she joined him at the console, "Calling myself 'the Angel' – or 'the' anything, really, it just seems pompous." She glanced sideways at him and smirked a little. "No offense."

The Doctor chuckled and shook his head. "None taken. Seriously, though…your chosen name is a promise, to not use it…makes it seem like you've broken it, that you aren't going to live up to it."

She swallowed thickly and studied her mud-caked shoes. "Maybe I don't feel I can. Not since…"

"Since…?"

"Think about it," Aliya snapped, "Think about when I stopped going by it." He took on an expression of extreme concentration but seemed to come up blank. "Since _he _died," She said it with a harsh softness which sat eerily in the air.

His face dropped and empathy entered his features. "Oh."

"Yeah," Her voice was bitter, " 'Oh'."

"You felt like you'd failed." It wasn't a question.

"I did fail that day!" Aliya shouted. "I broke the promise!"

"Your promise was to be an angel. A protector, a…a guardian. But not just to him," He said gently.

Her face twisted with pain. "If not him then who? The most basic kind of protector is that of a mother protecting her child and if I could not even do that then how am I the Angel?!"

The Doctor eyed her unfathomably. "Because you protected me. Still do, every day."

For a moment there was silence as she stared at him, her different coloured eyes piercing. And then the flash of anger hit her. "What, and you even it out?" It became apparent that he'd realised that he had said the wrong thing. Her voice rose again as she glared. "Or maybe even tip the scales? You are not so important to the universe or – or to me, that you cancel out _my son_!" As she stopped to breathe, he took a step closer and cupped her face with his hands.

"Hey, I never-" His soft words were drowned out when she resumed shouting.

"I don't want your excuses, and get your hands off me!" Aliya shoved him away and took several steps back.

"Aliya…" His voice had changed. It was quiet. Pleading. When she reluctantly looked at him, she saw his wide, apologetic, ever so slightly vulnerable eyes. She crossed her arms and frowned, though suddenly felt a whole lot less convincing. She was a second late in realising that he had taken advantage of that. By the time she worked it out, his arms were already around her and she was trapped in a tight hug.

"Stop it," She mumbled into his chest, the sound muffled by the lapels of his tweed jacket, and tried to push away from him only to fail miserably.

"Why?" His left hand stoked her blonde hair reassuringly while his right hand held her firmly in place at the small of her back.

"Because I'm cross with you and you're hugging me."

"What's wrong with hugging you?"

"It's cheating."

He chuckled at that, and the welcome sound only calmed her more quickly. "Cheating?"

"Doctor hugs are cheating."

"Since when?"

"Since always."

"But how are they cheating?"

"They just are!"

The Doctor sighed, but in fond exasperation as opposed to anything else. "You're impossible."

That made her tilt her head up to look at him, only to snort ungraciously. "That's rich coming from you."

He smiled again. "Hush, Miss Angel."

"I'm not the Angel anymore," She said flatly.

"You are to me."

His reply was so simple, so natural, that it did in fact make her think that perhaps someday, possibly soon, maybe she could renew her promise after all.

* * *

Four months and dozens of adventures since their first, the Doctor was much improved and seemed very close to his old self at most times. Aliya would occasionally find him staring at something sadly or crying quietly, but those time were gradually becoming less frequent – or he was getting better at hiding them. He had gotten good enough that Aliya was faced with a difficult truth.

He was ready to know about Jenny.

So one day, once she'd worked up the courage, she sought him out and found him in the library, browsing. She hesitated again. When she told him, he was going to get incredibly angry with her, and as much as she kept telling herself that she was ready, she knew she probably wasn't. So she just kept her chin up and steeled against the harsh words which she knew were coming.

"Doctor?" When he turned around, she shifted nervously. "I have to tell you something."

"What?" He seemed to sense it was serious from how solemn she was. "What is it?"

"First…I'm not going to ask you not to get mad because I know you will…but please, once we're there, try to understand my reason for keeping it from you," She pleaded, and he frowned.

"What? What have you done?"

"It's about Jenny." Her voice shook, and his eyes locked onto hers with an unnerving focus.

"What about her?"

"She's alive," Aliya whispered. He didn't react at first, though something flashed in his green eyes.

"Impossible," He answered flatly.

"Perhaps…but she is."

"How? How do you know?" The tone of his voice became more urgent as his eyes narrowed.

She felt the anticipation rise in her as they toed the line of anger he would inevitably cross. "She's at Torchwood, arrived on planet not long after me."

"Torchwood?" He repeated, and tentatively, she nodded. "She's been at Torchwood this entire time?"

"Yes," came the simple whispered answer.

He nodded stiffly, his jaw clenched. "And you didn't tell me." She shook her head. After a deep breath, he pointed a finger at her. "I imagine you have a reason. You tell me, you tell me now, though I very much doubt it is good enough." The low, calm anger was more dangerous and more terrible than if he were shouting.

"You weren't ready, you had to deal with River first, Jenny couldn't just be a coping mechanism," Aliya said quickly, and his expression finally became more visibly angry.

"A coping mechanism?" He shouted, and she flinched. "She could have _helped _me!"

"You?" Aliya finally pushed back, her protective instinct for Jenny kicking in. "It's not all about you! Did you consider that maybe I did this for her?" That threw him a little, and he paused. "Her?" His voice had gone quiet and curious.

"Yes. I've spent a lot of time with her, more than _you _actually have. It might surprise you to know that I care about her too." She smiled, and for a moment thought he was going to smile back, but he didn't.

"I don't see how you caring about her is relevant to this," He said coldly, making her inwardly cringe. That one stung.

"Because I couldn't expose her to you!" Her snap was a tad unnecessary but it worked, and he backed off, confused and somewhat surprised.

"_Expose _her to me?"

"To you how you were, to how I _knew _you would be!" Aliya told him forcefully. "I'd seen you grieve and knew that this time it would be worse, and I was right! I couldn't let her see you like that! No child should see their parent like that, and you're the only parent she has."

"You still had _no _right!" He was back to yelling. "She is _my _daughter, I've been mourning her for decades, and you didn't tell me the moment you found out that she was alive! What kind of person does that?"

"The kind that actually thinks!"

"You don't think about anything, you make decisions that aren't yours, that you have no right to make, and you never think you're in the wrong!" His voice was so loud, so angry, so horridly forceful that she stumbled back, blinking away tears.

"Stop yelling at me!" Aliya cried, clutching her head. "Just stop! If you just stop then I can call her and we can be there with her waiting in less than five minutes! Don't you want to see your daughter?!"

The Doctor froze, as if he had forgotten about the possibility of actually seeing Jenny. He didn't reply, and she took it as an opportunity to run out of the room before he could see her cry, even if it was just a little.

As she ran down the corridors, all his horrid words kept circulating in her head. _You don't think about anything, you make decisions that aren't yours, that you have no right to make! _As well as his own, her own echoed. The echoes were ones of failure. _Stop yelling at me! Just stop! _She'd not held her ground, she'd allowed him to get her, allowed his anger to beat her down and break her.

But it had been so awful, his yelling. So much worse than all the other times because it was more serious, his fury more true. Aliya pressed her fist into her mouth to stop any sound coming out. Whether it would have been a scream of pain, a yell of indignance and frustration, or a sob of failure, she didn't know. And she had meant well. No matter how he had made her doubt herself for a few moments, now away from him she was again sure that she had done the right thing. He would see. He had to.

She came into the console room and headed for the phone. As it rang, she concentrated on steadying her voice. That was when Jack answered.

"_Hey Alibear." _He was serious, his usual flirting very much toned down.

"Um, good." It was only half a lie. Despite the fight, the Doctor _was _much better. "I need to talk to Jenny though." The phone was passed along and Aliya became aware of eyes on her back, and knew that the Doctor was at the top of the stairs.

"_Hey!" _Jenny's cheerful voice was unmistakable.

"Hey Jenny. Um, he knows, about you, we'll be there in a couple of minutes if you want."

"_Yeah, of course!"_

"Okay, see you soon."

"_You sound weird. Is he mad?" _

"Yes," The older Gallifreyan's voice shook a fraction.

"_Are you okay?" _

"See you soon." She hung up and began flicking the switches and controls on the console, determined not to look at him. As she flew the TARDIS with the blue stabilisers on as well as the brakes because she knew that he liked the materialisation noise, there were no words exchanged until they landed with a wheeze. "She'll be outside," She said quietly, sensing him standing only a metre away, "She knows what you look like." With that, she dejectedly sat on the step. At least she had succeeded in not hurting Jenny in any of it, no matter the repercussions that she herself now had to face.

The Doctor slowly nodded, and after a moment's hesitation, walked out of the door.

* * *

The blue box, which Jenny had only glimpsed back on Messaline and not known the significance of it at the time, began to appear in front of her. Her hearts picked up speed. She was about to see her dad after years of searching. About to meet his new regeneration, as Aliya had called it.

Suddenly a man stepped out of the box, in the tweed jacket and bowtie she had heard so much about. He matched what he looked like in the picture from the 1930's. but she found that what she had been told was true – her mind recognised him as the same man as before, as her father even if her rational brain protested only not to be heard.

"Dad," Jenny said with a grin.

"Jenny," He breathed, sounding disbelieving but irrefutably relieved as well. She immediately ran into his arms and found herself in a hug so painfully tight that she couldn't breathe. That, however, was the last thing on her mind. He was here, she was with him, it was just like her hopes and dreams only so much better. "You look older."

"You look younger." He laughed and loosened his grip so that they could both take in some oxygen. Instead of hugging, he held her face and just stared, taking her in. She did the same. She liked his new face, she decided. But she realised that her words had not been quite right. His new face was decidedly younger but his eyes – different in colour but still somehow familiar – were older, much older.

The age in his eyes was something she had quickly noticed on that first and only day. Only now it was as if years or decades had passed, and he'd seen so much, too much, during that time. Based on what she had heard from Donna, and more recently Aliya, it was probably indeed the case. The weight of it staggered her. He seemed sad – sad, old, and tired. She'd thought Aliya's eyes were old and heavy, but the other female paled in comparison to the Doctor.

"You seem like you've grown up, it's in your eyes," He eventually said, "You had child eyes before."

"I'm still only three," Jenny joked, and small, ironic smile played on her father's lips.

"I have a three year old daughter," He said thoughtfully, eyes skimming over his fully grown child.

"And I have a thousand year old dad." That made him laugh.

"You're at least three centuries too polite, but thanks…I have been feeling younger recently," He adjusted his bowtie with a pleased smile that made her laugh. "Especially now I'm a dad, even though centuries ago I was a grandfather." He glanced at her, seeming worried at how she would react to the news.

But she just shrugged. "I know. Aliya told me, figured I should know you had others a long time ago."

"Er…" He scratched his cheek awkwardly. "Yes."

"So you've had a three year old daughter before?" Jenny wasn't jealous, instead wistful for the unknown sibling.

"Yes, but she was, um, smaller." He held a hand a bit below his waist as a height indication. "Obviously."

"I imagine so," Jenny laughed with him until there was a slightly awkward silence.

"So," He held out his hands in a 'I don't know what to do' gesture, "What you been up to?"

"Well, looking for you."

"Right."

"Fought some creatures and saved a world or two." She grinned, pleased when she saw a glint of pride in his eyes.

"Really?"

She nodded. "Plus, did an outrageous amount of running!" They both laughed again, remembering Donna's comment about all the running that came with travelling the universe and getting into trouble. "And then crashed here."

"Yeah, Torchwood…what's it like?" He sounded very much like the concerned parent, or how she had imagined a concerned parent would sound. It was the same way Aliya sounded when _she_ worried over Jenny.

"It's great!" Jenny said eagerly. "Never a dull moment, and Jack's the funniest bloke I ever met."

He frowned at the mention of his old friend. "Don't let him get too friendly with you, Jenny. He's a womaniser, and a….a mananizer."

She had to laugh at his protective face. "You sound like Aliya!"

"Do I?" He lifted an eyebrow.

"Yeah, she told Jack to leave me alone. Not that he needed too much convincing, he seems to be afraid of what you'd do if he went near me!" She laughed again.

"Yes, well, good!" He said, shifting a bit, but looking pleasantly surprised. "At least she- well, never mind."

"Is she inside?" Jenny asked.

"Um, yes, she is…" He murmured, "Why?"

"Well she is my friend," She reminded him, "I want to see her!"

"Right," He paused and opened the police box doors to call inside, "Aliya, Jenny wants to see you." There was something in the way that he spoke to her that reminded Jenny of how _off _Aliya had sounded over the phone. She had said that the Doctor had gotten mad…how mad, and had they actually had a fight she didn't know about?

After a few seconds, Aliya gingerly stepped out of the TARDIS, only glancing at the Doctor before looking away from him very deliberately. When she saw Jenny, though, she genuinely smiled.

"_Maya,_" She said, and hugged the girl much longer than she normally did, almost as though she didn't want to let go. _"How are you?" _She spoke in slow, simple Gallifreyan which Jenny was able to understand.

"_I'm fantastic," _Jenny replied, smiling because she was glad to see her friend and because she had remembered how to answer.

"What? How can you be speaking Gallifreyan?" The Doctor frowned and looked between them. His daughter then shrugged.

"Aliya's been teaching me. I can't say much, but it'll take time."

"Yes, it will," He agreed, "I suppose that's good. You should learn it, definitely, I can teach you too."

She beamed. "I'd love that. Maybe you could both teach me!"

That didn't seem to be the right thing to say, because the two Time Lords glanced at each other awkwardly and then looked back at Jenny instead of at the other.

"You know what, I think we should get on with taking you on your first adventure in the TARDIS," The Doctor said, and moved to hold the door open for his daughter, "How does that sound?"

"Great," Jenny said happily as she went inside, and the other two followed her in. She had heard Aliya speak of how the TARDIS was bigger on the inside, but she could never have prepared herself for it.

"Where do you want to go? I mean, we've got time, loads of time, we can go everywhere so-"

"Actually, Dad, I was going to ask if it was okay to just take one trip."

"What?" He spun around, a very large, worried frown on his face. "Why? I thought this meant – you know, you'd come travel with me."

"I want to, definitely," Jenny assured him quickly, "But I just think it might be best to wait."

"Why?"

"Because right now I love being at Torchwood," She smiled, "I'm learning all this stuff-"

"I can teach you anything you like-"

"Dad, let me finish, okay?" Demurely, he agreed. "I'm learning all these good general things about life, and learning how to be independent when you're not searching for someone."

"Well, that's good, I suppose."

She nodded with a happy smile. "Yeah, it is. And also, I know that you're better – you must be or else Aliya wouldn't have told you about me yet – but you are still sad."

"Sad?" The way he repeated the word was unusual, she couldn't tell if he was surprised or confused or thinking that it was untrue.

"You're mourning your wife. I know that, and I think that obviously if you've made it this far then you're on the right track, and I don't want to take you off it," She said.

"Jenny," Aliya began, "You would help him. Your presence would make a big difference."

"Maybe," Jenny shrugged.

"Jenny, please, I – I want to get to know you properly, I want to be your dad," The Doctor said quietly, watching her with slightly desperate eyes.

"You are my dad," She told him, "And you always will be. And maybe I would help...but I just have this feeling that Aliya has to be the one to do it." When she looked at the older blonde woman, she found the different coloured eyes staring at her unfathomably.

"She's not going anywhere," He said, glancing at the woman in question with strange certainty, "You could both-"

"No. Dad, I'm three years old! I don't know how to look after people or make them better," Jenny reminded him, "But obviously Aliya does or we wouldn't be here talking now."

"Yes, I suppose," He said offhandedly, and Aliya bit her lip, looking upset by the comment. "So, you're not staying."

"Not now. When I'm ready, and when you're ready, I will," Jenny said, and smiled at him, "I promise."

"You know, I think you're the wisest three year old I've ever met," He smiled back at her, an odd pride in his eyes, "I'll hold you to that promise." He hugged her to him briefly. "But, you still want one trip, right?"

She grinned excitedly. "Oh yes please!" She laughed and had to refrain from jumping up and down as he began to pilot them somewhere. "Where are we going?"

"I'm setting it to random, we could end up anywhere!" The Doctor shouted over the noise of the ship. "More fun that way!" They landed with a wheeze and father and daughter exchanged looks of anticipation as they both turned to look at the exterior doors.

Jenny turned to where Aliya was sitting on the stairs. "You coming, then?"

Aliya shook her head. "I think I'll sit this one out."

"Why?"

"Don't worry, Maya, just go. It should just be you and him, the first time." Jenny agreed only because she could see that her mind was going to be changed. But the Doctor picked up on the nickname.

"Maya?" He asked Aliya, who went very quiet and after being frozen for a few seconds, got up and hurried up the stairs before she had to answer. "I don't understand."

Jenny stared after their friend. "It's a nickname."

"For what?"

"I didn't like speaking Gallifreyan but still having to just call myself Jenny, so she gave me a name."

His eyes showed that he understood. "A Gallifreyan one?" It occurred to Jenny that he might be angry that someone else had named his child, which was probably why Aliya had made a quick exit. "What is it?"

"_Vismayari." _

His entire expression changed, into one of surprise and nostalgic emotion. He swallowed thickly. "Oh."

"What? Is it okay?"

"It's more than okay, it's…perfect," He smiled slightly, shaking his head.

"She said that _vismaya _is a surprise not thought possible, and that the _yari _part was from your mum's name," Jenny explained, and he nodded, eyes a bit brighter.

"I thought that that was why she included it," He murmured. "I'm still going to call you Jenny."

She giggled. "Good, because I still think of that as my name. While we're speaking English, anyway."

"Exactly," He took her hand in his and led her to the doors, "Now, Jenny…are you ready to see something amazing?"

* * *

The two of them did not return to the TARDIS for nearly half a day, as they found a lovely village of people on the Lost Moon of Poosh who were being plagued by a madmen and his pet creatures who lived nearby. Being the Doctor and his daughter, investigating and helping had been necessary, and after being captured, escaping, being attacked, thinking up a genius plan, and an awful lot of running…they were back at the TARDIS, tired and a bit bruised, but exhilarated.

"You were fantastic," He beamed as he shut the doors and moved to fly them away from the moon, "I wouldn't have gotten out of that without you."

"I'm sure you would have thought of something," Jenny said, "But really, I did okay?"

"You did brilliantly," He said proudly, eyes showing it to be true. "So, back to Torchwood then?"

"Yeah." She was glad that he had accepted the wait, because she could just tell that they both needed it for their own reasons even if he didn't quite agree. The TARDIS landed again. "So, I'm back?"

"You've been gone ten minutes," He told her with a smug smile. That made her laugh.

"Wait until I tell Jack about all this, he'll love it!" She hugged him quickly, still bouncing with energy. "Bye Dad, I'll ring you guys, okay?"

"Okay."

Just as she was about to step out of the doors, a thought occurred to her. "Actually…Dad?"

"What?"

"Don't be too hard on Aliya," Jenny said slowly, and she could tell that he had not expected her to say that, "I know that you're mad that she didn't tell you, and I understand but…she was protecting you. More than that, she was protecting me too. She meant well."

"I know." He seemed reluctant to admit it. "Don't worry, Jenny, I'll sort it all out."

"You sure?"

"Yes. I promise."

"Okay, good," She smiled again, and this time waved, "Thanks, bye!" She left and shut the door behind her, feeling lighter and oh so happy.

One day, one day in the future…every day would be like this.

* * *

The Doctor walked through the TARDIS, trying to sense where Aliya was, and decided that the library was the safest bet. Sure enough, he could sense her and hear her breathing. When he rounded the corner of the couch she was on, he saw her lying with a thick Gallifreyan history book in her lap, eyes shut, seemingly asleep.

He, however, knew better. He could sense that she was very awake and very frightened. That made him feel like a rather terrible friend.

"Aliya, I know you're not asleep," He clicked his tongue impatiently, and when she didn't move, he knelt so that he would be at her level when she opened her eyes. "Aliya."

Her eyes snapped open, full of panic. "Please don't yell at me," She whispered, and it staggered him just how tiny, childlike and desperate her voice was. Her wide eyes watched him with fearful anticipation.

He shook his head quickly. "I'm not going to yell at you." That made her frown.

"You're not?"

"No, no yelling, promise," His hand brushed some hair out of her face, and she sat up slightly.

"Why not?" She sounded stronger now, a bit more demanding. But still, he could see it, the need she had for something so simple, something he had all but forgotten about.

The Doctor abruptly pulled her into a soft, comforting hug, and he felt her body tense for half a second before relaxing into him. She released a shuddering breath into his shoulder and he stroked her back in hopes that it would help.

"I am so sorry," He said into her ear, "You've put up with me for nearly two years and I've repaid you by treating you like you don't matter at all." She didn't answer, but she did press herself closer into the hug. "Please don't ever think that you don't matter. You are so, _so _important, without you I don't think I would be here right now."

"You'd have thought of something," She finally whispered.

"No, you saved me from myself," The Doctor admitted, "And so, very late, I'm saying thank you, Aliyanadevoralundar. Thank you so much." He let her have some breathing room, but held her face in his hands gently, and noticed the unshed tears sitting in the corners of her faces. They were close enough that their noses were almost touching, and he smiled. "I am in your debt." With that, he leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. She gave him a watery smile and buried her face into his neck as she hugged him again.

"You're welcome." She laughed a little giddily, which make him smile into her hair. "So you're not mad at all?"

"You kept my daughter from seeing me at my worst, and gave her the perfect Gallifreyan name," He said, "How could I be mad? I'm grateful."

Again, she laughed. "So, grateful enough to make me some pancakes? With berries and ice cream?" As they pulled away from each other, he frowned slightly.

"I don't know, I think that might be pushing it." His seriousness lasted only a second before his face split into a grin. "Nope, definitely think that pancakes can be arranged." He stood and offered her his arm. "May I escort you to the kitchen, Lady Angel?"

"Yes you may, Lord Doctor," She grinned back and looped her arm through his as they left the room. "Now, these pancakes, since I've only heard you mention them and have never had them, I'm thinking that I need to try every single topping you have…"

* * *

"That is disgusting."

The Doctor eyed Aliya's plate of pancakes with a horrified expression. When she'd said that she wanted to try every topping, this had not been what he had pictured. She'd put them all on the pancakes at the same time.

Maple syrup, chocolate sauce, lemon and lime juice, sugar, mixed berry jam, sliced kiwifruit and banana, rainbow ice cream, chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, cream, fresh strawberries, icing sugar, and peaches.

It was a slushy, sticky, multi-coloured mess which she was eating quite contently while he could only watch in disbelief. His own pancakes – topped with only chocolate sauce and lemon juice – were only half eaten because he had stopped to watch her.

When she finished her large mouthful, she rolled her eyes at him. "No, it's not, it's delicious."

"Don't you feel sick? Do you have any idea how much sugar is in that?"

"A rather fantastic amount," She cut off another piece of pancake and munched it happily.

"Fantastic is not the word I would use," He said, a tad concerned for her health but rationally knowing that it was far from dangerous.

She slurped some of the chocolate sauce off her finger. "You hear what that is?" She asked.

"What is it?"

"The sound of somebody who doesn't give a fuck," Aliya snorted and went back to eating her pancakes. He sighed and finished his own off. When he looked back at him, he found her eyeing him oddly, and then eyeing her last pancake which was utterly drenched in every topping she had selected.

"Do I want to know what you're thinking?"

"I'm not really thinking anything," She said, and picked up her plate to take it around the counter and to the sink.

"You still have one pancake left."

"Oh yeah," she said it as if she had forgotten, and smiled, "You can have it."

"I don't think so-"

He couldn't finish his sentence because she chose that precise second to take the pancake in all its sticky glory and press it firmly into his face. His senses – taste and smell in particular – were assaulted by the sheer amount of combinations and toppings, and he spluttered and threw it across the room. The damage however, was done, his face was covered in ice cream, jam, cream, fruit, and too many other things.

Aliya laughed harder than he had seen her laugh in a very long time, and while that was rather nice momentarily, he was immediately struck by the need for revenge. So he grabbed the can of whipped cream and sprayed it all over her face and hair, making her squeal.

"Time for round two?"

"Yes, I think so."

With that, they raced to the toppings and unleashed the Second Great War of the TARDIS Kitchens. Maple syrup was poured and marshmallows flung, while jam and ice cream were catapulted off of spoons.

By the time it was over, the two Time Lords were incredibly sticky with various confectionaries, hair plastered in strange directions by syrup and eyes stinging a bit from the citrus juice. But the grins on their faces rendered the rest of it unimportant.

"Peace?"

"Peace."

Aliya looked between them and laughed at the mess they had made of the kitchen and of each other. "So, good day, then?"

The Doctor thought about it. Today he had learned that his daughter was alive, he'd seen her again and gone on a fantastically exciting adventure with her. Then he'd made up with Aliya, had pancakes and then another food war.

"Yes, very good day," He smiled. "Now, how about a hug?" He held out his arms and Aliya laughed before giving him a large, sugary, sticky hug.

* * *

**Hope you liked it! And I couldn't resist having another massive food fight it was too fun the first time. Also, anyone who also reads Precipitant Reunion (the AU Nine/Aliya one, which I should update but can't find the muse for), will notice that there was a similar pancake in that too, but they ended rather differently. :P **

**The updates should hopefully have some consistency from here on out but we'll have to see, I suppose. **

**Love you all, **

**-MayFairy :)**

Anonymous Review Replies:

_Guest - _good to know that you're still excited for more chapters, and I had to give him a bit of gradual healing in the last chapter or it would have been too depressing. Thanks so much for the review! :)

_Guest (second) _- glad that you've missed it, now you can enjoy the Daliya all the more! :)

_Guest (third) _- Here's your next update! by 'found it again' do you mean that you lost it? :P that's very kind to say that you can't live without it though. :)

_Emma _- yes I am enticing you into the Daliya ship! :P you can keep shipping Jaliya, that's cool too. thanks yet again for the review! :)


	53. Progress

**Sorry for the delay, I'm going to England in a week and a half and have a lot of school stuff to get done before I go. So unfortunately there probably won't be another update before I go, not sure about when I'm over there but it's unlikely. Still, it's only for three weeks so you don't need to worry too much. **

**Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter: Nikki Pond, Guest, LadyMaluHolmes, toavoidconversation, Caligo Origuu, SplendiferousBowties, TheGirlWhoImagined, anon, zodiacgurl17, Mrs. 11th, Guest, skidney, GeoRach, ZackAttack96, OptimisticLivvy, and Emma! :) You're all amazing. **

**Also, 900 reviews, wow, you guys just blow me away, thanks SO much. :D much love! **

**This chapter has some nice Daliya stuff, mostly fluff of sorts but a bit of angst stuff too. Also, a scene which will probably make you all want to kill me. Apologies in advance. **

* * *

It was several weeks down the track that Aliya was in the bathroom, brushing her teeth, when the Doctor came in unexpectedly. She eyed him warily, as he usually kept away from her when they were going to sleep.

He didn't speak, and neither did she because her mouth was occupied. Once she had finished, she watched him in the mirror as he absently touched a strand of her hair. Even though she knew she should be more calm, she couldn't help but flinch.

"Do you mind?" She snapped, glaring at him, and he recoiled like an awkward puppy.

"Sorry, I wasn't-" He failed at finding his words and Aliya inwardly cursed herself for being so jumpy.

"No, I'm sorry, just being silly." She smiled warmly at him. "Did you want something?"

The Doctor shrugged. "Not sure, it's just…I've lost my teddy bear." He really did look like a lost child, with wide eyes and a drifting aura about him.

"Oh," She said, "Do you want me to help you find it?"

"No." He shook his head. "Ship's too big, it'll take us ages to find it. But I was wondering if you might…considering replacing it until we can find it?"

He wanted her as his personal teddy bear again. And she…was utterly unsure what to say. On one hand, she wanted to help him. But on the other – she knew that it was a very confusing thing for her, being so close to him. And in that sense, it was unhealthy for her, and perhaps for him as well.

However, the moment she looked back into his gentle green eyes, she found herself agreeing before she could properly weigh the pros and cons.

"Thank you," He said with a soft smile, "I just…don't want to be alone."

"Hey," Aliya took a step towards him and planted her palms on his cheeks as she stared evenly up at him, "You are not alone. Never. I would never allow that. You've always got me. As long as you want me."

He smiled gratefully and took one of her hands down so that it rested in his. "I'll always want you." She couldn't help it, her breath hitched hearing him say it even if she knew he didn't mean it like that. "You will always have a place on this TARDIS. As long as you want to be here."

"Good," She said quietly, and pulled him by his hand, "Let's go then, I'm tired and I imagine you are too. We going to the library couch?"

"Sure, sounds good."

When they got there, she sat on the edge of the couch somewhat awkwardly in her pyjama bottoms and tank top. As he began to undo his bowtie, she felt the need to look away. Watching him undress, even in part, in this circumstance felt far too intimate. She could hear a belt being undone and for a moment worried, but when she turned to look, she saw that he had only removed the belt, not his trousers all together.

With a sigh of relief, she couldn't stop herself watching him unbutton a couple of his shirt buttons and unloop his suspenders so they hung at his waist. The jacket was on the floor with the belt.

"You don't have pyjamas?"

He laughed a little and got onto the couch, stretching out along its length. "Nah, these are comfy enough."

"If you're sure."

The Doctor opened his arms in a beckoning gesture. "Well, come on then." With a slight hesitation, Aliya let herself lie down next to him. His arms encircled her and held her close to his chest, which was warm through the fabric of both of their shirts. Even though she wasn't facing him, it still made her hearts quicken and she hoped with everything she had that he didn't hear or feel them.

One of his hands settled on her upper right arm, and the skin on skin contact was not helping her current situation in the least.

But she couldn't deny, as her fatigue weighed her down and called sleep to her, that having him with her was the most comforting thing in the entire universe. She felt safe.

* * *

It became obvious that seeing Jenny and knowing that she was alive had made a significant difference in the Doctor's recovery. It was to be expected, naturally, but to actually see the small weight of his daughter's death lifted and be replaced by the light in eyes, that was something else. The light was the result of having a daughter again – a clever, brave, beautiful daughter.

Because of the improvement, it meant that he and Aliya were talking a lot more. Often they spoke of trivial things over breakfast, or had academic discussions while reading in the library. Very often they argued about mechanics while he tinkered with the console and she criticised. But they were the light, joking, fond sort of arguments. Nothing like the ones which led to their numerous past fights, thankfully.

They would occasionally even talk about River. It started with just little things she had done that had been brilliant or funny. It moved onto them saying how great and wonderful she had been overall. Finally they were able to discuss how much they missed her.

It made Aliya so proud to see him admitting bravely how much he missed his wife, and to see him do it without betraying the searing pain which she knew he still carried with him. She thought that maybe if it was no longer spilling out of him, it was lessening gradually.

She hoped that one day, they would both be able to think of River Song without it hurting. No. It would still hurt, as it should, but it would be an okay hurt, the good kind of remembrance.

For now, however, they laughed about her antics and pretended it didn't pain them to do so.

* * *

In her deep, dreamless sleep, Aliya became aware of a bruising force on several parts of her body. With that came pain of the physical kind, and it soon woke her. The moment she was awake she realised it was because she was being held far too tightly. The Doctor's arms had a grip which was incredibly forceful. She tried to wriggle free but couldn't. One of his arms was firmly around her stomach, hand splayed across her stomach, fingers digging in. The other arm was on her forearm and squeezing with a surprising strength.

"Doctor! Let go," She said pleadingly. "Let go." But when he didn't, she tried to reach her mind out to his. That was when she discovered he was still asleep, his mind in so much turmoil that a nightmare was the only explanation.

In any other situation, she would try and soothe him. However, all she could think of was getting away from him, but he was much stronger than her even in his sleep.

When it became apparent that nothing physical she did would wake him from the nightmare, Aliya worked up the power to do the only thing she knew would work. She pushed out with her mind and gave him the mental equivalent of a slap. Within a second he jolted awake. The clouds of nightmare disappeared and his arms finally loosened. She let out a gasp of relief and pushed away from him, falling off the couch and onto the library floor.

The Doctor groaned slowly but in that second she didn't care because she still felt sore even though they were no longer touching. She examined the painful spots and found purple bruises on her arm.

"Ow," She whispered, eyeing them with a frown before her faze shifted to the person who had given them to her. Until then he had been staring forward, but at the sound of her voice his head turned towards her.

"Aliya," He said, and the torment in his eyes lessened noticeably as he did so. But then he seemed to look at her properly and notice the tears in the corners of her eyes. "What's wrong?"

She didn't know how to answer. She had no right to be, but she was upset with him, even if she knew he hadn't meant to do it. Instead of saying anything, she just took some deep breaths. It had been hard to breathe in his hold. Her silence only made him more worried, and he got off the couch to sit next to her. Her instinct told her to move away from him but her sense kept her where she was. She did however flinch involuntarily.

That threw him, she could tell. Confusion and a touch of hurt flashed through his eyes. They narrowed and followed the path of hers to her bare arms. When he saw the bruises, he froze, and swallowed thickly. His fingers brushed over the purple marks which matched his hand and fingers perfectly. At his touch, she flinched again.

"Do they hurt?" His voice was barely audible. She dipped her head in a single nod. There was a pause before he asked the crucial, horrid question. "Was it me?"

"Yeah," Aliya said, her voice as shaky as her hands.

Disbelief and then guilt flashed through his eyes, and he ducked his head for a moment before bringing his gaze back up to her. "I…I'm sorry," He managed to get out, "Ali, I'm so sorry."

She gave him a tight, forced smile which wasn't really a smile at all. "I know." She almost didn't ask her next question. "What was the nightmare?"

He sighed. "The war. It's been a long time since I've – because of River – so I haven't-" He gave up and his shoulders slumped in defeat.

Normally she would comfort him. But as it was, she remained still and just watched him sadly. "I understand."

"You really don't," He muttered quietly, "I managed to hurt you when I wasn't even awake, so do not tell me that you understand. There is no way to justify the fact that there are bruises on your arm made by _my _hands! You claim that I am so innately good, well frankly I think the evidence points elsewhere!"

"You need to calm down," She said simply, his louder voice reminding her of the times he had yelled in the past, which was the opposite of helpful.

"Calm down?" His tone suggested his intent to do the exact opposite of that. "Do you hear yourself? You should be angry with me, scared of me!"

"I am!" Her voice wasn't loud when she spoke but he reacted as thought she had screamed the words. He went silent, still and silent. Then he put an arm under her knees and another behind her back before lifting her off the ground so that he was carrying her bridal style out of the library. "Where are you taking me?" The demand for him to put her down was on the tip of her tongue but she couldn't quite bring herself to say it, though she was unsure why.

"One of the bathrooms, it's got bruise balm in it. They'll be gone in a day."

"Oh."

When they got to the bathroom in question, he sat her down on the countertop. But the movement made her stomach ache, and when her hand flew to it in the same moment that she winced, he worked it out.

"It isn't just the arm, is it?" She shot him a look that told him she didn't know. He moved her hand and gingerly lifted her tank top up halfway. As they had both feared, more purple marks that resembled his hand and fingers decorated the skin. He pursed his lips, betraying his anger. "If you hate me for this, I deserve it." He found the bruise balm and very gently rubbed it into the bruises on her arm. She did her best not to show that it still hurt some, he was feeling enough guilt.

"No."

The Doctor sighed with a serious kind of exasperation. "Aliya-"

"I'm angry. I'm upset. And I'm a bit scared." She held his gaze evenly, not letting herself get distracted by the intensity of it. Meanwhile, his hand was delicately applying the balm to the bruises on her stomach. "But I could never hate you."

"Then you're an idiot." It was meant as an insult, she could tell. But the tenderness in his eyes rendered it redundant. "I made you a promise a while back. You were doubting your faith in me. And I told you that I would never hurt you." He took his hand away and washed it, avoiding her eyes. "I broke that promise."

"Yes, but not intentionally!" She argued. "It's not as though you consciously decided 'hey I should rough Aliya up a bit'!"

He cringed. "You know I would never do that."

"Exactly," Aliya said. "You would never do that." She took his newly clean hands in her own and used them to bring him in front of her. "You are my best friend. You are the most kind, compassionate, noble person I know. And you have never intended to or knowingly hurt someone."

He brushed hair from her face and continued to eye her with the intensity that never failed to make her hearts skip a beat. "I really am sorry." He ran his thumb over her cheek. "I think that we should change our sleeping arrangements. I won't let this happen again."

"Okay." Until she could think of another solution, it would have to do. "But we're getting some mattresses and putting them really close together."

Despite everything, he smiled. "I'd like that." Her arms wound around him and pulled him into a hug, a soft, comfy hug with her still up on the countertop, meaning that they were at more similar heights. His arms wrapped around her in return and they stayed like that for a long time, enjoying the feeling of being close to each other because in the end, it was all they had.

* * *

While the Doctor was off doing lord knows what, Aliya found herself heading down to the underside of the console platform, thinking she might check the mechanics and be sure that everything was working and that at least nothing very crucial was broken or malfunctioning. She was about to get to work looking when something caught her eye in the corner of her vision. She turned around and saw something fuzzy poking out of one of the dips in the floor. When she approached it, she was surprised to see the Doctor's teddy bear sitting in the groove.

"That's odd," She said to herself. After all, he'd lost the teddy bear. So why was it rather blatantly in a place that he went to at least every other day? Surely he'd have seen it by now? Unless –

Unless he'd lied when he said he'd lost it. That was the only thing that made sense, because she was fairly sure it wasn't possible for him to not know that it was there. But why would he lie? The answer sounded like one of her pathetic hopeful musings she had in some of her weaker moments, but it sounded strangely as though it could be true.

Because he wanted to be close to….the only other person on the ship? Or close to _her_?

Either way, it was an interesting development, and she swiftly decided that it was best for the teddy bear to stay where it was and for her to not let on that she knew he had lied. After all, even though they were no longer sleeping as close as they had been, they were still not very far from each other and she thought it was very unlikely that the nightmare incident would occur again.

So, on the off chance that they could get back to sleeping far more closely, she was going to let the teddy bear remain a secret. For the pure and simple reason that she didn't like having to take the sleeping pills and she didn't need them when she was with him for some reason. That was definitely the only reason because she certainly wasn't so masochist and pathetic that she wanted to be as close to him as possible even though she knew that it was going to make it worse for her because he was something of her past, something she could never again have.

No, definitely not, that would be ridiculous and just plain _sad_.

* * *

One night, they were getting ready to sleep on their adjacent mattresses, Aliya in her usual tank top and pyjama bottom combination while the Doctor had actually removed his shirt, though kept his normal trousers on, much to her obvious confusion. She had given up on understanding his bed wear choices, which was the way he liked it.

They had been postponing sleep as much as possible, going two weeks without it before they had given in the first time, and this would be the second. She was about to lie down when a pillow collided with her face.

"Did you seriously just throw a pillow at me? How old are you?" She asked. That being said, she still laughed.

"Old enough to be able to justify being as childish as I like," He replied, and hit her with another pillow. That made her pick up her own and inch closer to whack him across the face with it.

"That doesn't make sense!"

He rubbed his cheek. "Yes, it does." They kept hitting each other with pillows until she was lying back and being smothered by his pillow. The fact that he was putting a lot of his weight into it very much helped his case.

"Get off!" She tried to wriggle out but couldn't, and her head surfaced from underneath the pillow. Her hair was mussed and messy as she tried to blow it out of her eyes and failed. He just smirked, not letting on that he loved it when her hair got like that, finding it hilarious and rather endearing. "You're lumpy." Her complaint was juvenile, but then, so were pillow fights, he supposed. "I want to sleep, you idiot, get off." He did, and she just rolled her eyes at him as she settled back on her mattress and wrapped her blanket around herself, her pillow back underneath her head where it was supposed to be.

"I think we should have pillow fights more often," The Doctor mused while getting into his own little bed a little more than an arm's reach away.

"You would."

"It's fun!"

"You're ridiculous." Aliya shook her head and lay down to sleep. "Now shut up and let me sleep." So he did just that as she took one of her sleeping pills.

But several hours later, he woke to the sound of a whimper coming from the mattress next to him. When he listened more closely, sure enough, she sounded distressed or worried, but still asleep. It wasn't difficult to figure out that it was a bad dream. Perhaps she didn't get nightmares like he did, but there were still many things which could create bad dreams which were very unpleasant.

This was Aliya, his friend, so he moved across the gap so that he was on her mattress instead of his. He settled himself behind her and let one arm wrap around her while the other traced lightly across her shoulder, down her arm and lingering on her hand. The movement stilled her, and she quietened, leaning back against him and smiling in her sleep from what he could see.

Content that she was alright, he set about going to back to asleep himself.

* * *

_It had been a horrible dream. Daleks, trying to force her into a horrid dark hole that seemed to go on forever. She had no choice so she did as they said and jumped. That was when she fell. And fell. And fell. The falling never stopped and it was the worst feeling in the world, especially because it was also so incredibly dark all around her. But then something changed and she felt safe. Warmer, if it was possible. But mostly safe, as though she was protected. She wasn't falling anymore. _

Aliya woke and was glad to be rid of the dream. But then she realised that a very familiar person was holding her in her sleep. Why had the Doctor moved? What had happened to their rule?

But his hand was on hers, his head in the gap between her neck and shoulders, and she could feel the soothing rise and fall of his chest as he breathed in and out in his sleep. It was relaxing and comfortable, but also potentially dangerous, but it had never stopped her before and it seemed it no longer would at all.

"Doctor?" She said it experimentally, and was surprised when he answered, albeit rather sleepily.

"Yeah?"

"You're awake."

"Sort of was, am now."

Upon hearing that, she turned around so that they were facing each other. His green eyes stared intently back at her, quickly losing most hints of drowsiness. Whatever she had been about to say completely disappeared from her head.

"You okay?" He asked, saving her from having to say something, for which she was thankful.

"Alright. Better now." She didn't elaborate on why. "Bad dream."

"I figured as much." He smiled sympathetically. "What was it about?"

"Nothing important, just generic bad things," Aliya said offhandedly. It seemed silly to mention now. "How about you?"

"Dreams?" When she nodded, the Doctor gave a small shrug. "Oh, no, mine were…nice, actually. I was swimming on Florana."

That made her laugh, just the simplicity of it, the blissful simplicity. "Were you by yourself?"

"I don't think so, but you woke me up before I could see who was there with me," He pretended to look cross but it was far from convincing and she just grinned.

"Maybe it was me."

"Yeah, maybe…" He mused thoughtfully, eyes resting on her again. "It wouldn't make sense for you to be too far away." His hand touched her hair briefly, and the small action made Aliya realise just how close they were, their faces only an inch or two apart. _All he would have to do is hold the back of my head and pull me closer and we'd be – _her breath hitched when his hand came to rest at the base of her neck, almost as if he had read her thoughts. His eyes were so beautiful, so intense, it made it difficult to breathe at all. Suddenly the gap seemed to shrink and she was leaning forward – or perhaps he was.

But before they were too close, sense jolted into her quite literally. She abruptly turned around so that they were again facing the same way and could no longer see each other's faces. And more importantly, their faces couldn't touch in such worrying ways.

"No, I'm still not a good swimmer, I probably wasn't there," She said quickly, breathing heavily, and noted that he hadn't moved at all since she had. "It was probably one of your numerous other companions."

"Probably," He agreed somewhat absently, and she felt him take her hand again and hold it even as they were obviously about to sleep again. Despite everything, she was still glad for the gesture.

"Night," She shut her eyes and did her best to think about something that wasn't how nice it felt to be close to him. She failed quite spectacularly, and let herself relax in his arms. Oh yes, she definitely had some issues which she needed to work out. But not tonight.

* * *

"What do you think about the 1920's?"

Aliya paused at the sound of the Doctor's voice. she was standing in the kitchen with a piece of toast in her mouth while she made herself hot chocolate, it was rather difficult to answer, so she shrugged.

"You're a helpful one," He told her, and took the toast out of her mouth.

"Well, I don't know very much about the 1920's," She reminded him, "Save for what it is Agatha Christie's books." She blew hair out of her face.

"Those are better than nothing, but the real thing is much better – less murders."

"Always a plus," Aliya said wryly.

"Well yeah, it is," He seriously answered. "But it's wonderful, parties, music, a world of people happy that the war is over."

"But less than 19 years later, an even worse war breaks out!" When she said it, he put the piece of toast back in her mouth to shut her up.

"They don't know that. And they wouldn't believe you even if you told them, which you're not going to."

She took the toast out of her mouth. "I'm not an idiot. I actually think it's nice that between two of the worst events in Earth's history there is a time like that. It's like your philosophy about piles of good things and bad things. The 1920's add to their piles of good things."

He watched her oddly. "Yes. That's exactly right."

"Why are you looking at me like that?" She asked warily.

"I just…it's nice that you understand. Never thought you listened," He admitted.

She smirked. "Only sometimes." She made a childish face at him while dipping her toast – covered in hazelnut spread – into her hot chocolate.

"You're disgusting," The Doctor remarked, watching her bring the toast back to her lips.

"Your face is disgusting." She retorted.

"Your maturity astounds me."

"Ha! Talk about the pan calling the kettle black!"

"You mean the pot."

"Do I?" Aliya frowned. "Huh, yeah, you might be right. So, you're wearing that to the 1920's, then?"

"Naturally. You'll have to change though, you need a flapper dress. Have a look in the wardrobe."

The name almost made her snigger. "That's a stupid name for a dress. But have you got one?"

"Six, actually, at least," He said thoughtfully.

"Somebody take you shopping and get a bit excited?"

He groaned. "Nyssa and Tegan. They made me sit around for hours and give them opinions."

"By they, you mean Tegan," Aliya chuckled, and he nodded, smiling a bit. "She always was my favourite of your companions." Even if it was largely due to the fact that Tegan had been the only one other than Amy and Rory that Aliya had gotten to know very well. Turlough had been…complicated.

"She yelled at everyone! Me especially," He reminded her.

"Exactly."

"Oh, shut up."

Aliya gave him her sweetest smile and ate the last bit of her toast on her way out of the room. When she got to the wardrobe, she wandered through the section of Earth clothing – which, due to the Doctor's favouritism was about a half of the entire wardrobe – until she found a rack of 1920's clothing. Not six but seven dresses were hung up on it, all in a similar style which she supposed must be the 'flapper' fashion. She found a red one with a black sash that sat low on her hips, a black flower attached to it. Some long black beads were strung around the hanger.

"That will do," she murmured to herself. She got dressed and then stood in front of the mirror, pinning her hair up into much tighter curls which made her hair look significantly shorter. Then she tried to get the matching black headdress to sit nicely on her forehead, and found some shoes with very small heels which she would probably be able to walk in. Overall, she thought she looked rather authentic, but in all fairness, she wouldn't have a clue.

When Aliya came into the console room, however, the Doctor was very pleased.

"Yes, I remember this one. It was Nyssa's. The colour's nice on you," He said with an approving smile.

"I've never worn a lot of red before but this dress is lovely." She looked down at the smooth fabric before bringing her eyes back up. "I'm quite excited actually."

"Excited is good." He grinned and offered her his arm. "Shall we?"

* * *

"So this is London?" Some of the streets looked vaguely familiar despite some historical changes, but she was no expert. He led her to a building where music could be heard playing rather loudly.

"Yes, good old London. Lots of parties and lots of class."

She snorted. "Then why are we here? You'll stick out like a sore thumb!"

He shot her an indignant look and defensively straightened his bowtie. "I'll have you know that I can be very classy."

"If you say so."

They followed the sound of music to a party which they were able to enter easily due to the psychic paper. The cheery brass music filled the room of chattering, dancing people.

"Oh, and if they ask, we're Mr and Mrs Smith. John and Alison."

Aliya rolled her eyes. "Smith? Really? Are you ever going to pick something mildly original?"

"Smith's good. It's worked for centuries."

"And you've never had anyone be suspicious of Mr 'John Smith'?"

He frowned. "Not really…maybe sometimes…" He saw her smirking again. "Still shut up."

"At least don't call yourself John."

"But then what? Robert? Matthew? Edgar? Christopher? Thomas?"

Aliya burst into a fit of giggles around 'Edgar'. "What about James? Jamie, like your little Scottish friend."

"Jamie," He repeated, and smiled. "He would find it very funny if he knew I called myself Jamie."

"Will you?"

"Next time, sure, why not?" He shrugged. "Jamie and Alison Smith, has a nice ring to it."

She wrinkled her nose. "A very _human_ ring to it. I don't care for it."

"Of course you and your superiority complex don't care for it."

"Oh yes, and you are so humble!" She argued, and shifted her stance to begin an impersonation. " 'Oh, look at me, I'm the Doctor, I'm wonderful and utterly brilliant! But I brood a lot because I'm so mysterious because I'm the _last of the Time Lords_!" She dramatically swooned.

"I don't sound like that." He scowled.

"You do. Even if you're not the last of the Time Lords anymore."

It was obvious that the Doctor wanted to reply, but at that moment, they were approached by a cheerful brunette woman in a blue flapper dress.

"Haven't seen you two here before!" She observed with a large smile.

"Oh, we didn't realise there was a regular crowd," The Doctor shrugged, and adjusted his bowtie.

"Oh yes, but we love new people too."

"We're just passing through, looking for a fun night I suppose," Aliya replied, which seemed to please the woman.

"You're certainly in the right place. The music here is brilliant, some of the best jazz around. I hope you like it here." With that, she left with a spring in her step.

"Well, the jazz does seem good, do you want to dance? I'm very good at these dances," The Doctor bragged.

"I find that very hard to believe."

To prove her wrong, he pulled her into a dance which matched the music perfectly, and she had to allow him the fact that he wasn't completely awful at it. But the real surprise came with the song change. A much more upbeat song had several people doing a strange dance that was rather fast and very lively.

"What are they doing?" Aliya had to ask. He just grinned.

"The Charleston. I invented it you know, but that Kathryn Wilson got the credit."

"I don't believe you."

He just smirked and joined the other dancers. Within a few seconds he had joined in and was doing the dance perfectly, even better than they were. His friend could do nothing but gape. Eventually the surprise passed and she just laughed at the dance that was quite comical to watch. It did, however, look rather fun.

After about a minute he stopped and broke out of line from the others. "Do you want me to show you how to do it?"

She grinned. "Okay."

So they went about him trying to teach her the unusual dance, which turned out to be very fun indeed, even if she wasn't quite doing it right. "Close enough," He decided, and they danced it together until the song finished.

* * *

By the time they got back to the TARDIS, they were laughing very hard and were slightly red in the face from all the dancing they had done. However fun it was to go on outings, though, it was always nice to come back home, to the TARDIS.

"That was brilliant," Aliya remarked as she sat down on the jump seat. "I think that I very much like the 1920's."

"In all honestly, I find it best not to trust people who don't," He said with a small smile.

She just nodded. "I'm tired though. Can we sleep now?" She got up and gestured to the stairs.

"Aliya, about the sleeping…" The Doctor's voice suddenly became less confident, and she wondered for a small panicked moment if he was going to bring up the events of the last time they had slept. The fact that they had almost – well. "Actually, about everything really. I know it's probably not necessary, but I want to be sure…" Her eyes stayed locked onto him as he nervously shifted.

"Sure about what?"

"About our…friendship. Our 'best friendship', if you like." He grinned at his own joke for a moment before again becoming serious.

"What about it?"

"Well, the fact that it _is _a _friendship_," He absently scratched his cheek, clearly finding the situation awkward. "But nothing more."

"Yeah, I know," Aliya answered somewhat automatically, calming down but always feeling a strange relief at hearing him say it.

"I know you know." He smiled. "I just thought with how we are – naturally _as friends_ – it might be best to clarify."

"I understand, but don't worry, we're good," She grinned through her mental blur of conflicting emotions and held her hand out to him. "Now, _are_ you tired or aren't you?"

He grinned back, looking rather relieved. "Utterly exhausted." He took her hand and they went up the stairs together.

Meanwhile, Aliya could only think of how good it was that he had taken the time to explicitly state what their relationship was, because a tiny hopeful part of her had begun to wonder. But if it was so good, why did she feel so disappointed?

**Yeah, I know, I'm a terrible person. :P **

**But on the bright side, next up is a two chapter adventure arc (because one is seriously overdue and this one is very crucial!), featuring one of the very high profile DW monsters/aliens. So stay tuned for that, because it's going to get the story moving into the final story arc of this first story. So while the next update may take a while, I'm going to take my free time when I can to plan the adventure arc out in extreme detail so it doesn't slow me down by months. :P**

**Love you all,**

**-MayFairy :) **

Anonymous Review Replies:

_Guest - _Hahaha well at least you found it again! Glad the update was helpful, hope this one is too! :)

_anon - _Um, this story in particular will not be continuing Series 6 but it's sequel most definitely will have the rest of Series 6, though it will be a VERY different/AU version (partially due to the complete absence of River albeit the first two eps, which have already been covered)

_Guest (2) - _Well, the River and Jenny thing isn't going to happen for quite a while yet, sorry to say. Too much other stuff has to be covered, but it will happen eventually.

_Emma - _That's awesome that you think the Doc and Aliya are cute, though unfortunately they have a long way to go yet...probably :P And Jenny will be back possibly sooner than you might think.


	54. Return of the Daleks: Nightmares Return

**Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter: OptimisticLivvy, Skidney, SplendiferousBowties, Swanny29, Batmanismine, SasuTenLuvr, lizze13zzz, toavoidconversation, Mrs. 11th, ZackAttack96 and Emma! Love you guys.**

**This chapter sees some Time War angst and the start of a new (but kind of short) adventure arc. Enjoy!**

* * *

The library never ceased to have something to entertain the occupants of the ship. While the Doctor had become enraptured in the children's books section with a book called _Green Eggs and Ham_, Aliya could not gather up an enthusiasm to match. She wandered down to the History section, and was overwhelmed by how much of it was filled with the accounts of wars. It suddenly occurred to her that there would probably be a book on the war she cared about most, so she found the Gallifreyan books. A shelf held the books of the many wars and Time Wars that had occurred. She recognised the names of most, as she had been an executive mechanic and engineer in a few of them. Others were before she had been born from the Loom, but the titles were a famous part of the great planet history.

But it was the book on the end, the largest book of all, that she wanted. With her hearts at double speed, she reached up on her toes, and lifted the _Last Great Time War_ off the shelf. It nearly dropped to the floor with its dead weight and her shaking hands, but she managed to grip it tight. She sat on the wooden floor and took a deep breath before opening it. Everything inside was written in Circular Gallifreyan. The language both softened and intensified the content. It was comforting, because it was her mother tongue, but it only made the harsh reality of it more real. With it she couldn't deny that it was _her _planet and _her _people that had gone through it all.

There was a foreword, written in the war's infancy. It was by the Lady President, but Aliya saw that while indeed the words could only belong to Romanadvoratrelundar, it was not in her cousin's own hand.

_Likely she dictated to someone while examining a battle map or something, _Aliya thought, as her cousin had always been too efficient for someone so young, especially in her third incarnation.

But her young cousin spoke wisely, of how Gallifrey was facing its most dire days. That already, thousands of tragedies had occurred, including the President's own cousin, proclaimed dead in absentia with Daleks suspected. Aliya bit her lip at seeing herself mentioned, though it was as 'the Lady Angel of Arpexia', a name which hardly felt like hers anyway, and hadn't for centuries.

Overall, Romana was determined, and unwilling to let Gallifrey fall. Her words were brave and befitting of a leader, but Aliya knew her baby cousin. Between the lines was a despair. Even at the very early stages of the war, Romana was aware of the threat and seemed to be afraid. And as Aliya now knew and Romana would have later known, it was all correct and justified in the end. Though not even Romana could have predicted Rassilon's return.

Aliya forced herself to let go of her familial sentiment and read the rest of the book.

The sheer size of the war was incredible. Some parts she had to skip over, often because they were too terrible to read. It was surprising to her that for a long part of the war, the Doctor was not even involved. But suddenly he appeared. She drank the information in even if it was painful and horrific. He had been on the front line, one of the best soldiers of the war. Many Time Lords who fought beside him had perished, but he was constant, unstoppable.

This warrior side of him that the book told of was the side most unfamiliar to Aliya, she had rarely seen it, and nowhere near on the scale of his part in the war. It was frightening.

She briefly looked back over her shoulder, and could see the far away form of the Doctor, still reading the children's picture books while sitting on a beanbag.

The two men were impossible to reconcile in that moment, even if deep down she knew that they were two aspects of the same man.

Aliya took another breath and continued to read. The tales told of the Last Great Time War continued to weave an ever more horrible picture painted with blood and death. One thing that stood out was Romana's leadership, and it made her very proud. But also mentioned was the cowardice of the Master, who fled at the sight of the Cruciform, doing as he always had and protecting himself by fleeing to an unknown location in Time and Space. Only, now Aliya knew where he had gone – the year 100 trillion, the end of the universe, where no one would ever think of or want to look. It satisfied her to know that in the end he had ended up back in the Time Lock, back in the hellish place he deserved to be in, thanks to the Doctor.

Her eyes determinedly took in the circles and lines that told of the destruction of the Crystalline Meadows and how they turned to bone, of the slaughter of the Gelth.

Then came the true horrors.

The Nightmare Child, so evil and powerful that it consumed Davros, the mighty creator of the Daleks. Then the Could-Have-Been-King and his army of Meanwhiles and Neverwere, born of the timelines which had been rewritten over and over again and erased so many souls from the universe.

The numbers of the dead were past counting, though the books stated tens of millions were killed every day. The worst part was that only half of the casualties were Daleks or Gallifreyans. The other half were all innocents, caught in the battles that raged at hundreds of points in time and space.

Suddenly, as it arrived at the final days of the war, the official writing stopped. What followed was more raw, and in handwriting which Aliya recognised as the Doctor's own.

He wrote of how the war ended. Of how President Romana had been deposed by a resurrected Rassilon, the man of their early history and the closest thing Gallifrey had to a deity. Of how the supposedly great Time Lords flocked to him like sheep and let their legend lead them into a destruction which left them with no hope. Of the fall of Arcadia, Gallifrey's second city.

After that the Doctor spoke of his own perspective, of how Romana, from her prison cell, had commanded him to use the Moment and do the only thing which could stop all of it – put the entire war in a Time Lock and shut it off from the rest of the universe. As far as it would matter, everyone, Daleks and Time Lords alike, would be dead.

He had been reluctant and afraid, but he knew as well as she did that it was the only way. So under his President's command, he took the Moment.

And in a tiny shack on Gallifrey, far out beyond the reach of either great race, he activated the interface. With that, two of the greatest races in the universe, the Daleks and the Time Lords, ceased to be and –

The book suddenly slammed shut. Aliya jumped, and looked up with teary eyes to see the Doctor kneeling next to her.

"And the Doctor became the sole survivor and the victor of the Last Great Time War," He finished quietly. She hastily wiped at her eyes.

"I had to know," She whispered.

"Well, now you do," He replied, "Did it help?" When she didn't answer, he took the book from her and put it back on the shelf, not apparently hindered at all by the weight of it. "Are you okay?"

"I want you to show it to me," She said suddenly. He froze for a moment before turning to look at her. "Not all of it, but the beginning, a bit of the middle, and…the end."

"Aliya…" He let out a sad sigh. "No."

"Please," She got to her feet so that they were on the same level. When he shook his head, she added, "You owe it to me."

It looked as though the Doctor wanted to argue. But with an air of guilt, he seemed to accept that part of it at least. "It's not like reading a book, you will be living it."

"I only need to see snippets, but I have to see! It's our people, Doctor!" Aliya said earnestly.

He put his hands either side of her face. "Exactly, your own people, dying around you, them and a million others _screaming_. Why subject yourself to that?"

Aliya ignored his pleading. "Show. Me."

"I can't show you the beginning. I wasn't there. But I can show you the end of the middle, and the end."

"Okay."

He regarded her for a very long time in silence. Eventually, he led her by the hand to the nearest couch, and they sat down. His hands went to her temples while hers rested on his arms. Then he lent forward so that their foreheads touched, and with that, their minds.

Memories bombarded her.

Him entering the fight, seeing the madness and death and just trying to put an end to it. But the only way to do that...was to add to it. Daleks everywhere, different races dying all around him, and yet he never wavered.

There was something...off about the memories she was seeing. She couldn't tell what he was feeling throughout it. It was like there was a mental block, something he didn't want her to see. She tried to break it down, only to be forcefully pushed back. She let it go and let the memories continue to roll. Despite not being able to sense what was in his head for the most part, in the back of his mind was a need for vengeance. And some of it…was for _her_, because he thought that she was dead, slaughtered by Daleks. And most of it was for the universe itself and all the innocent who were dying.

The memories then skipped forward. The war had more than doubled in size and ferocity. He was on the rocky ground of a nearly destroyed planet, alongside the Rani and the Corsair, the latter of whom suffered a near fatal hit and regenerated from a curvaceous woman to an incredibly muscular man with his signature tattoo on a large bicep. Meanwhile, the Rani was a strawberry blonde of size that would normally be laughable.

Despite their best efforts, the planet fell.

It jumped forward again, and there was a flash of Romana giving him his orders. The ex-President of Gallifrey sat in her cell, short dark hair limp and dull, while her skin was sickly pale. Her brown eyes were so sad and so tired, and without her past youth. But there was still a spark of determination as she commanded the Doctor to use the Moment. And so he stole it.

The Doctor left the populated areas and landed out in the Gallifreyan wilderness. He walked through the sand endlessly until he came to a tiny shack. Once inside, he removed the device from a sack. Again, the mental block came up and whatever happened, she couldn't see. Finally, all there was was him and a red button.

In those moments – or were they minutes, or hours? She didn't think even he knew how long he had weighed up the decision – his thoughts were shielded also, and rightfully so. She had no business hearing them and didn't think she wanted to anyway.

But then he pressed the button.

With a surge that triggered a regeneration and sent his TARDIS hurtling away, the universe itself trembled and the Last Great Time War was permanently silenced.

The mental link between the two of them cut off then. The real world came back but the sounds and images lingered in her eyes and ears.

Aliya gasped, as though she had broken to the surface of a wave. Her hands clutched at the tweed in front of them while she took in ragged breaths. A film of tears was stuck to her face, and a warm hand held her cheek while its twin was at her shoulder. A yell of furious grief escaped her, and her entire body shook.

The Doctor's mind brushed against hers, and it was most likely supposed to be comforting, but she shied away from him both mentally and physically.

"No!" She shouted, batting his hands off her and crawling backwards on the couch. All she could think of was the ease with which he had killed so many, of the fact that no matter whatever the circumstances, he had killed their race with a push of a button. "Don't! Don't." As she sobbed, he made no more advances. When she finally opened her sore and bloodshot eyes, his were watching her anxiously and guiltily. Finally, she whispered, "Please."

Luckily he somehow knew that this time she wanted him to come closer instead of keeping away. He slid forward and into the arms that were reaching for him like a child would. She clung to him and buried her face into his shoulder while his arms held her tight, and soothing Gallifreyan whispers fell from his lips into her ear.

"_I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."_ Amongst other things, it was the apology that he repeated over and over.

Aliya didn't know how long they stayed like that. But eventually she pulled away so that she could look at him properly. He watched her with worry and melancholy. The guilt remained too.

"That," she began slowly, "Was only a fraction of what it was for you." He nodded, hesitantly. "How did you live with it?"

"I didn't." The Doctor scratched his cheek. "…after…it hurt so much I couldn't move. I couldn't think. First the screaming. Then-"

"The silence."

He took her hands and clasped them in his larger ones. "Yes. That was when I learnt something very important." Her eyebrow twitched; a question, the obvious follow up. He held her gaze intently. "That silence is the most deafening thing of all."

Aliya bit her lip and blinked away a fresh set of tears. "You are the _strongest _person in the entire universe. And what you did…was necessary."

"I did it in the name of peace and sanity." The way he said it made him sound as though he wanted to reassure himself, to justify it to them both.

She leant her forehead against his. "I know. Thank you."

His surprise at being thanked instead of forgiven was loud enough for her to hear it, but he said nothing and just let her hug him that little bit tighter.

* * *

"Ready to see humans at their tourism finest?"

At the Doctor's question, his friend just smiled and shrugged.

"I suppose. I don't understand why you're so excited though."

Typical response from her, but it didn't faze him in the slightest. "Because! By this point, they've invented heaps of cool stuff! Space cruiseliners, buses to ride through asteroid belts, leisure spas!"

Aliya laughed then, her mouth splitting into a grin. She clapped him on the arm. "Next time, Doctor, start with the leisure spa." He was glad to see her happy again, as he knew that in the past two weeks she had gone through a few Time War nightmares of her own. The morning after each one he had made her pancakes with _every _sweet topping, just the way she liked them.

He did occasionally forget how quick she was and how well she knew him. And so he had been surprised when she had called him out on his 'guilt pancakes'. Still, there had been no actual complaint from her as far as he could recall. Again, typical.

The Doctor shot Aliya his 'wait, I'm about to be impressive' look and the two of them left the police box.

"Oh."

The sight before them was the opposite of what they had expected. Instead of a thriving, bustling capital of tourism, there were smouldering abandoned ruins. Yet, with a slight sickness in his stomach, he knew that they were exactly where they had intended.

"This is wrong," He said.

"But we _are _in the right place."

He glanced at her questioningly, and she just pointed to a nearby building which had the faded words of _Asteriod Buses _on the side.

"Er, yeah, this is it. What happened?"

She stared at a building some distance away and sighed wistfully. "It's never just a spa, is it?"

He defensively straightened his bowtie. "I got you to Midnight that one time."

Aliya rolled her eyes and chuckled. "You crossed your own time stream when you did it! Doesn't count." The Doctor frowned. He was _perfectly _capable of getting them to the right places, but sometimes the TARDIS had other ideas. That wasn't _his _fault.

He had been about to give some reply when a nearby building caught his attention.

_Galactic Cruiseships. _Daleks, the extraction of the brain fluid, the strength of Brennan, the massacre of the passengers. River. River Song. In a clingy red dress, looking utterly gorgeous…

His hearts panged painfully when he recalled her and her magnificence on that day. It only got worse when he remembered them seeking comfort in each other, passionately, almost angrily –

_No, stop, _He told himself, aware of his reddemed cheeks and glad that Aliya couldn't see his face.

"What is it? Is this one important?" The blonde woman asked, suddenly beside him.

The Doctor turned his head sharply, properly broken from his thoughts. "Yes. Maybe. Now that you mention it, I might just have a quick look." He began to head into the wrecked building. "Coming?"

Like she always did in the end, she followed.

"Why is this place significant?"

"What makes you think it's significant?"

Aliya shot him a _look_. "When you're not being an incredibly good liar, you're a terribly bad one."

"Oh."

"Yes. So tell me the truth."

He sighed and eyed her over his shoulder. "Fine. We – that is, I, no – me and River. We ran into each other on one of this company's ships. And there were Daleks."

As expected, her body froze and fear flashed through her eyes along with an innate anger. "What happened?" She managed to ask.

"They got away." His jaw tightened as he recalled it. "They had been extracting brain fluid from the passengers. We did our best but…"

"But what?"

"But they escaped and killed every person on that ship, there, happy?" The Doctor didn't mean to be short with her, but sometimes her incessant questioning just got to him.

"Of course I'm not, what a stupid things to say," Aliya snapped, looking rather hurt, and a small stab of guilt resonated in him.

After a moment of silence, he said, "No, sorry, I just…"

"It's okay," She replied quietly while following him more closely than before. "Just the thought of Daleks makes me edgy too. But…I still don't understand why you want to investigate when the company doesn't seem to be that important."

"No, it is, actually. Because during their medical tests, the whole crew were fitted with data chips that allowed them to be taken over when the Daleks chose."

"Robomen."

"Exactly. And it means-"

"They must have had an ally here at the company." She finished. As he often did when she completed an explanation and he wasn't irritated about it, he smiled. He did enjoy being the cleverest person in the room but having someone who could keep up was something he still wasn't quite used to after centuries of being with mainly humans. "But surely there won't be any trace of them now?"

The Doctor grinned. "Aliya, you forget…I'm brilliant."

She laughed and shook her head fondly. "But why do you want to find them anyway?"

"Because maybe they knew the Dalek's plans. And then I can find them."

"Find them?" Her voice took on such an odd quality that he looked back at her. She had paled, and was eyeing him with disbelief. "You're…you're serious?"

"Of course I am, why wouldn't I be?" He asked.

"But…they're Daleks," She whispered.

The Doctor regarded her carefully. "Aliya, I've gone up against them before. Loads of times. You were even there once."

"And look how that ended," Aliya muttered while shivering and clutching her white woollen jumper.

"I don't understand the sudden uncertainty."

"Uncertainty?" She repeated the word and laughed bitterly. "I'm not uncertain at all, I am certain that I am asking you not to!"

"Aliya, they were able to massacre because of _my _failure! I have to put things right." Why didn't she see that he had to?

"You're talking about seeking out the most vile and corrupt creatures in the universe! The creatures who killed our families!" Her words along with the pain in her eyes made him remember how recent it all must have feel for her. Less than half a decade for her since finding out, and only weeks since she saw some of it with his eyes. "If you want to find them, then come back to the TARDIS! We'll build a weapon. Then when we find them we can take them all down instantly." Aliya took deep breaths as she waited for him to answer.

He was somewhat surprised; this was a new level of violence for her. But only, he knew, because it was the Daleks. "We will, we will. I just need some clues to help me find them first," He answered.

"No. We have ways of finding them with the TARDIS equipment, it's safer, you don't need to stay here!"

"I might find something vital!"

"You might lose something vital! Like your life! I don't like this place, I've got a bad feeling about it."

"It'll be fine. Now, are you coming?" He held out his hand like he had done so many times before.

Slowly, Aliya bit her lip and shook her head. "No." Surprise flooded through him.

"No?"

Again, she shook her head. "…I just can't. I'm going to go back to the TARDIS and I'll do a few scans to see if I can help. But that's it."

"Okay," He answered, voice and smile soft. "That's fine. At least I'll know that you're safe."

She hugged him then. "Just come by the TARDIS when you're done. And be careful!"

"I'm always careful." He hugged her back, tightly.

"Like hell you are," Aliya retorted, but she still kept hugging him with quite a fervour. "Okay, see you soon." She left the room to head back out to the street.

Instantly, he was back to scanning everything in sight. When he found nothing, he moved onto the next room. This pattern repeated several times. Eventually he came to an office which immediately registered as unusual. Unlike all the others, which were in ruins, this one was wrecked but had also clearly been very thoroughly cleaned out.

"Was this your office?" The Doctor wondered out loud, thinking with disgust of the person who had betrayed their own people.

A flashing light on the wall caught his attention. He approached it as it became brighter and brighter, filling his vision until the blinding white light was the only thing his eyes could see. He squeezed them shut, hiding them behind his arm for good measure as well.

"THE DOC-TOR IS AC-QUI-RED!"

The unmistakable voices filled him with dread a second before his eyes snapped open. As he had feared, he was on a Dalek ship, surrounded by five Daleks. Two of them – the white and the yellow – he recognised to be from the Paradigm he had witnessed the birth of. The rest were the standard bronze, but not any less formidable.

"DOC-TOR." The white Supreme Dalek eyed him as it assaulted his ears with its deep, metallic voice.

"Going to kill me, are you?" He asked with enough classic bravado to cover his fear.

"NOT UN-TIL YOU HAVE PER-FORMED THE TASK THAT WE RE-QUIRE."

"You need me?" The Doctor was rather incredulous. "Again?"

He got the idea that the Supreme Dalek chose to ignore some of that. "YOU WILL BUILD A DE-VICE OF TIME LORD OR-I-GIN FOR THE DE-VEL-OP-MENT OF THE DA-LEKS!"

"And why would I do that?"

A nearby screen flicked on. "WE HAVE YOUR AS-SOC-I-ATE." His head whipped to look at the screen, and sure enough, there between two Daleks, was Aliya.

His hearts clenched when he saw how plainly terrified she was. Temporary defeat and annoyance flooded through him as he realised that for now, he had to comply with their demands.

"Okay, but you have to swear that as long as I help you, she will not be harmed," He said, and the Supreme's eyestalk dipped in a sort of nod.

"Doctor!" Aliya cried out.

"It'll be okay, Aliya, just hold on," He assured her.

"TAKE HER TO THE CELLS."

The blue Strategist Dalek on the screen answered the order in the affirmative and the screen went black.

"So what am I building?" He asked cheerily, clapping his hands.

"A STOR-AGE DE-VICE OF TIME LORD TECH-NOL-OGY."

"What for?"

"FOR IN-FIL-TRA-TION."

"Where?"

"THAT IS CLAS-SI-FIED."

"Of course. But you lot used to be quite thick, it was worth a shot." He grinned. "Also, you realise that I'm going to need equipment and tools."

"THEY ARE SUP-PLIED."

One of the bronze Daleks led him to a large pile of materials next to a pile of tools half the size.

"Right," He clapped his hands and knelt down to examine what he had, "Better get to work then."

* * *

**Hopefully you're slightly worried now...and that you're glad to see the Daleks! Or, excited/scared, you know what I mean. :P**

**Will see you all soon with the next update. And believe me, the next one has quite a controversial cliffhanger that I'm sure you will all be interested in...**

**-MayFairy :)**

Anonymous Review Replies:

_Batmanismine - _Thanks! I loved England and it was super hot so basically no rain at all! and I did go to the Theatre (Matilda and Les Mis) and they were amazing. Hope you like this chapter, and thanks for your review! :)

_Emma - _Sorry for depriving you, I promise quicker updates, okay? Especially now that the story is nearing the climax/ending. Thanks for your review! :)


	55. Return of the Daleks: Catalyst

**And I'm back! Nice and early, because this chapter was already written. And good news is...so is the next chapter now! Once you see the end of this one you are going to want it, but unfortunately you are going to have to wait the minimum of a week, but probably more. **

**Now, thanks to all who reviewed: OptimisticLivvy, LazyRhiannon (XD it made me laugh again), LadyMaluHolmes, Onesmartcookie78, SasuTenLuvr, skidney, and Nikki Pond. You're all amazing. **

**This chapter has...a somewhat controversial cliffhanger and you are all going to kill me for leaving it there so I apologise in advance. :P **

* * *

"_I'm a little teapot, short and stout, here is my handle, here is my spout…"_ The song cut off as the utter absurdity of her singing hit her. "Oh, this is ridiculous. I am a Time Lady of Gallifrey, not a bloody teapot." Aliya sighed. Then again, a teapot would probably not end up in a cell on a Dalek ship. And that sounded quite good right about now.

She had only been in her cell for a few hours, and was already incredibly weary of being as bored and scared as she was.

Bored and scared. Now wasn't that a combination?

She had only been halfway back to the TARDIS when the transmat had gotten her. It had been a relief to see the Doctor through the screen, but learning they were on different ships did little for her morale. He apparently was on the main ship of the fleet while she was in one of the smaller, less important ones. And being around Daleks wasn't good. Not just in the obvious sense that they could kill her effortlessly. But emotionally and mentally it weighed her down. They were the ones who killed her planet, people and family. They were the creatures of her nightmares. The personification of hatred and evil.

Speaking of hatred, she was surprised at how much she felt herself. She had never thought herself to be an extraordinarily hateful person, but there it was, bubbling hotter and hotter every second. She loathed the Daleks every last one. She wanted to watch them burn the way they had made so many others burn, she wanted to hear their horrible grating voices scream…

This was her first time seeing them since the Time War, and it was safe to say that she wasn't coping with it well. The last time she had been with them this directly was…well…the last time she had travelled – or rather, had tried to travel - with the Doctor, back in his fifth body. And they had pushed her too far, forced her to acknowledge that she wasn't strong enough to keep up the Doctor's way of life, no matter how she had loved him.

How ridiculous that now she had every intention of staying put, and this time around she didn't even have his love as incentive to stay.

A Dalek rolled into view, the large blue one who seemed to be a higher rank than the bronze ones. As its eyestalk rolled to look at her, she forced herself to stare back at it. She didn't want to show them any more weakness.

It said nothing and after ten seconds rolled away. Aliya let out the breath she had been holding.

"_Now I've…had…the time of my life…" _The new song helped her keep calm, as did imagining dancing with Jack the same way that Johnny and Baby had in the movie she had watched with Jack back at Torchwood. And if partway through it was the Doctor's face looking at her and the Doctor's arms holding her, she wasn't thinking rationally enough to consider it an unhealthy fantasy.

* * *

It had been several days. Aliya had been brought meagre amounts of dried and processed food as well as some water.

But between her slight claustrophobia and just generally being on the edge of a hysterically break down or panic attack, she was not in the best of temperaments. Especially because sometimes they turned the lights off, and that went as well as it always did…and ended with her holding back screams by balling the sleeve of her jumper and putting it in her mouth.

Her anger aimed at the Daleks was very powerful, and as it burnt through her, she knew that she was going to snap.

"So what's going to happen to me when the Doctor's finished your little job?" She approached her cell bars and clutched them. "I noticed his idiotic wording. I'm only safe while he's working. Assuming you even keep your bargain long enough for _that_. So are you going to slaughter me in my cell?" The nearest Dalek was watching her, but as with all Daleks, its thoughts were unfathomable. "A proper execution would be nice, but I doubt I'll get one. Daleks aren't known for their sense of honour, are they? Go on, prove me wrong!"

"YOU WILL CEASE THIS PRAT-TLE!"

"Will I?" Aliya laughed bitterly. "Why? Am I annoying you? Am I distracting you? Stars forbid I annoy any Daleks!"

"YOU WILL CEASE!"

"Why?" This time when she asked it, it was not with humour, but anger. "What do I owe you? You literally tore down my world. You are the reason I never got to say goodbye to my _mother_! You killed my cousin! Romanadvoratrelundar, do you remember?"

The name seemed to register. "RE-CORDS SHOW ROM-A-NA-D-VOR-AT-RE-LUN-DAR TO BE THE LAST PRE-SID-ENT OF GAL-LI-FREY."

"What about Rassilon?"

"RAS-SIL-ON WAS AN…AB-OM-IN-A-TION."

The anger she felt at Rassilon made it possible for her to briefly be glad that she and the Dalek agreed on one thing.

But it occurred to her that her outburst may not have been her brightest move, despite the fact that it had briefly felt good.

* * *

Four days. Four days of unceasing work. But after nearly 100 hours, the Doctor had demanded to be allowed to sleep. He had only been awake and back at work an hour when the nearby screen came back on. The Supreme Dalek soon rolled over to see what the Strategist had to say.

"THE DOC-TOR'S AS-SOC-I-ATE IS A TIME LORD!" The red Dalek screeched with a hint of what the Doctor would have called pride if he didn't know better. His words made the Doctor curse internally, as he had hoped to keep that information from them.

"HOW WAS THIS DIS-COV-ERED?"

"SHE RE-VEALED HERSELF. NOW IT HAS BEEN CON-FIRMED."

"THE DOC-TOR IS THE LAST OF THE TIME LORDS! EXPLAIN!" At this point, the Supreme had turned to him.

"Explain what? How I became the last? Good story, actually, starts and ends with you lot, you'll probably like it…" His tone was light and comical but there was still an edge to it.

"THE EV-ENTS OF THE TIME WAR ARE KNOWN TO US." Daleks never did have a sense of humour. "EX-PLAIN….THE OTH-ER. WHO IS SHE? HOW DID SHE SUR-VIVE?"

"She just got incredibly lucky. I don't know, she doesn't know, we don't know!" He shrugged. "Sometimes wonderful, nonsensical things just happen and we call them miracles. Never thought I would see one, but there you are," He gestured to the screen and lifted his eyebrows, shrugging again, "There's my miracle."

"BUT WHO IS SHE?"

"What?"

"IS SHE A TIME LORD OF SIG-NIF-I- CANCE?" The Supreme seemed almost agitated.

"Significance?" The Doctor repeated the word because it was an odd question. Of course Aliya was significant, of course Aliya was important, only…she wasn't. He frowned. "No, not to you, I suppose. She's from the same gene pool as Romanadvoratrelundar, but that's about it."

"THIS IN-FORM-A-TION IS KNOWN, IT IS HOW SHE RE-VEALED HER-SELF." The Strategist put in.

_Oh, Aliya, you idiot, what did you tell them that for? _He sighed.

"BRING HER TO THE MAIN SHIP. SHE WILL AS-SIST!"

"THE TIME LADY FEARS DARK-NESS! LET THE THREAT OF THIS…TOR-TURE BE…PER-SUA-SION."

As the Supreme considered the new alternative, the Doctor felt sick to his stomach. He didn't know how they had found Aliya's most prominent weak point, but a lot could happen in four days.

Would they make him listen to her screams?

* * *

As it so happened, yes, they would. The Doctor had to listen to the horrific sound until he had increased his speed so that they were satisfied. And he quickly learnt that he couldn't slow down or they plunged his friend into the dark again.

Within two days of the new method of persuasion, he was finished. Immediately, he made the demand to see Aliya and have it proved that she was alright. He waited anxiously until she appeared onscreen.

The blonde looked slightly worse for the wear, but all in one piece. She was no longer wearing her woollen jumper and was left in her jeans and white tank top. As a result she was hugging herself slightly. Her eyes were tired and red rimmed but a spark of life returned to them when they landed on him. With one of her hands she gave him a funny little wave and a small smile.

"Are you okay?"

She nodded. "I think I'll need to make some complaints about the accommodation though. Service is a bit grouchy too."

The Doctor couldn't help it, he laughed. "Same problem here. How's the food?"

"Considering that recently, my diet has almost entirely consisted of pancakes, I can't say that its satisfactory."

For her to mention her bloody _pancakes _of all thing right then was unbelievable, ridiculous and hilarious all at the same time. He chuckled again. "Can I get you anything?"

"Bar a rescue or a lamp? No, I'm fine."

"THE COM-MUN-IC-A-TION WILL CEASE!" The screen cut off before either of them could say anything more.

"THE DE-VICE WILL BE TES-TED!"

The problem was that when the storage device was tested, it didn't quite work. The dimensions were off and it was not big enough on the inside.

"Ooh…" He laughed nervously. "Oops. But I think I can fix it. The problem is on the inside. Bit unsafe to go in, but since it's either that or you killing my friend…"

Luckily, the Dalek who had been supervising his work for most of the week did not follow him inside the device which vaguely resembled the Genesis Arc which the Cult of Skaro had tried to use.

Once he was inside the huge metallic room which stretched out of sight, with a heap of materials and tools in his arms, he grinned. The Daleks, for geniuses, were never that clever when it came to him. Leaving him alone with all this incredibly useful stuff? Bad idea.

It only took him a few hours. The Doctor turned the makeshift stun gun over in his hands, not exactly proud of it but glad that he now had it. He gripped it tight and left the storage device.

Immediately the Daleks detected a threat, but he was too quick, he got them all within twenty seconds, firing in between his ducking to avoid their death rays. Obviously the Daleks had in that moment decided that his death would not be a great loss now they had another Time Lord.

The Doctor made his way out into the corridor, ready to stun any more Daleks who crossed his path. When he came across an information hub, the sonic screwdriver soon got him into the network and the scanner which brought information from all the other ships in what he realised now was quite a large fleet.

One little blip told him all he needed to know. He rushed off to find the transmat that ran between ships. A fleet would have one, for sure. Once he found it, he directed himself to the ship which he had his friend imprisoned on board.

When the transmat's sharp flash of light faded, he dashed through the corridors of the new ship. This time he used a different method of location. His mind stretched out until it could faintly sense hers. A few minutes later and several stunned Daleks later, the Doctor burst into the cell holding Aliyanadevoralundar. The blonde was curled up on the floor in a ball, arms around herself and breathing loudly.

"One rescue, as requested," He made his announcement with grandeur and straightened his bowtie afterwards.

Her entire body stiffened and her eyes snapped open to look at him before she scrambled to her feet and stared at him like he was rain in a desert. After a moment, she grinned and ran to him, hugging him tightly.

"I am _so _glad to see you!" Aliya said with a shaky but unmistakeably relieved voice. "Took you long enough."

"In my defence," He said as she pulled away, "You did only ask a few hours ago."

He got a whack on the shoulder for that but she was quick to hug him again, even more tightly than before. "I was so scared. I don't think I've ever been that scared."

This time he patted her on the back, hoping it would help. "Daleks tend to have that affect."

When she let go the second time, she rolled her eyes. "No shit." Despite her bravado she was quite obviously still frightened.

"Then come on," He gripped her hand and together they ran out of the cells and into the corridor where a Dalek awaited them.

Aliya started but with a shot from the stun gun they were back on their way. When they got to the transmat, the Doctor handed her the stun gun to keep lookout while he set the transmat co-ordinates to get them back onto the planet below.

"Do you know how to use it?"

She smiled wryly and held it tighter. "I worked at Torchwood. Firearm training is compulsory. So Jack taught me." A Dalek came around the corner and her shot hit it quickly, though she almost missed. "But I'm still not that great, because I don't like using them. Guns are guns. And guns mean death."

The Doctor pulled her into the transmat and grinned down at her. "I knew there was a reason I liked you."

"Oh, _thanks_-" Her words after that were drowned out as they were teleported.

* * *

The two Time Lords staggered out of a run-down transmat terminal and found themselves in the crumbling foyer of _Asteriod Buses. _The older of the pair quickly sonicked the terminal to be sure they couldn't be followed.

"Made it," He breathed. With his free arm, he pulled her into a quick one armed, but surprisingly tight, hug.

It took her by surprise, and she eyed him weirdly. "What was that for?"

"For not dying." He shot her a funny little smile before suddenly looking mildly concerned. "Did I startle you?"

"No!" Aliya then frowned. "I mean, yes, but it's fine, I'm not complaining, it's nice-" She realised what she was saying and tried not to blush because that would only worsen the situation. Nervously, she laughed and shrugged. "I mean, Doctor hugs, who would complain?" She awkwardly bumped her shoulder against his to get a 'comrade' feel back into the situation.

Because her friend was clueless unless someone actually outright snogged him, he just grinned, apparently not hearing anything strange in what she'd said. He bumped her back. "Well, thanks, now that you mention it, I've not had any complaints."

"You're so full of it," She told him and poked him reproachfully in the ribs.

"Ow!" He yelped like a child.

"Baby. You're a five year old who's managed to live a millennium, beats me how."

"No, you've got awful pokey fingers! Do you have special poking sticks attached to them?" His ridiculous comments made her roll her eyes. He grabbed her hand and started examining them. With him bent over to look more closely, and his fingers running over the tips of hers, she burst into a fit of giggles.

"What are you _doing_?" The words came out between giggles.

The Doctor straightened up, dropped her hand, and sniffed. "I was checking for special pokey sticks."

"You're insane."

He clapped his hands and pointed at her. "Made you laugh though." When he grinned proudly, she grinned back, shaking her head at her friend's eccentricity. "Now, come on, TARDIS."

* * *

"Thank the stars for that," Aliya said with relief as they ran out onto the street and towards the blue box. "Now, can we just go to a nice beach, or somewhere utterly without adventure? I could use a rest."

That brought him to a halt. "Aliya…we're not leaving."

"What?!" She was looking at him like he was mad, with wide frightened eyes. "Yes we bloody are!"

"Aliya, they've got too much of the storage device, they'll repair it and use it for this infiltration they are planning and I can guarantee that people will die," He said seriously, and entered the box.

She followed, but crossed her arms and sat on the jump seat. "I told you, I can't do Daleks, we've just seen the proof of that! You can go but I am staying _here_."

"Normally I would be incredibly glad to hear that," He said quietly, "but unfortunately I need you for this."

Aliya looked at him with unfathomable eyes. "You don't need me."

"Yes, I do," The Doctor kept his eyes level with hers. "Please." He held out his hand. When she grudgingly took it, he smiled and led her through to the lab.

This didn't help his case. "You have got to be kidding."

"I need you for the next bit," He promised - as if he would ask for her help with chemistry, now that really would be a joke. She just sighed and silently handed him whatever he asked for. "See, I've come to know Dalek biology quite well over the centuries. Which means I've got a good idea of what doesn't mix so well with them. This gas will do two very important things: poison all the Daleks _at least _to the point that they are incapacitated; and corrode the metal of the ships until reaches the engines, resulting-"

"-in an explosion which will rip the ship apart." He was somewhat impressed, and figured that she must at least understand enough chemistry to have guessed based on what she had seen him using.

"Yeah. Usually it's not my style, but since-"

"It's Daleks. I understand, Doctor, more than that, I agree, justification isn't necessary," Aliya assured him. Now that she had nothing to do, she just leaned back on the counter behind her.

When the gas was ready, she helped him bottle it into little canisters and put them into a backpack which she was charged with carrying.

As he carefully – and for once, quietly – piloted the TARDIS onto the first of the Dalek ships, she held onto the stun gun and found it strange that she was his pack horse.

The two Time Lords slipped out of the police box and crept through the corridors until they found a suitable entrance to the ventilation system.

"Keep watch," The Doctor told Aliya. While she kept the stun gun ready, he grabbed a canister from the backpack on her back and went about releasing the gas into the system.

"Is that stuff harmful to us?" She asked, suddenly slightly worried.

"Only in excess, as long as we don't hang around we'll be fine."

Soon, they were back on their way, onto the next ship . With each new ship, they would silently land and release a canister of the Doctor's concoction into the ventilation.

Many ships and quite a few Dalek-related close calls later, they were on the only ship that hadn't been dosed – the main ship of the fleet. They could only hope that none of them had noticed the ships on the edge going down.

"If we've been doing them one after another, shouldn't we be seeing a more continuous effect?" Aliya peered out of a nearby window which looked out over some of the fleet.

That was a rather valid question, the Doctor thought. He took one of the three canisters and sniffed around the edge. He made a face which got a tiny giggle out of his counterpart.

"For some reason, it seems to be increasing in potency, they could all go at once." He straightened. "We need to be quick. And figure out what to do with our spares."

The problem with the main ship was that it had far more Daleks than any of the others. They had not yet found the ventilation entrance when they rounded a corner and found themselves in front of five Daleks.

One particularly trigger happy Dalek immediately cried, "Exterminate!" The Time Lords abruptly turned and began to run back the way they had come. Another Dalek quickly insisted that they were supposed to be retrieved alive, but the first Dalek had already fired a shot.

It hit the Doctor on the back of his lower leg, scorching through his trouser leg and frying the skin behind it. He let out a yell as pain became all he could see, hear or feel. All he noticed was someone yelling out long after him, and then something being snatched out of his hand. The pain eventually lessened enough for him to be able to take in his surroundings again.

He was on the floor of the corridor with five Daleks around him. And Aliya, the backpacks, the stun gun, and his screwdriver, were gone.

* * *

The Doctor was forced to practically hop alongside his captors to the Bridge. The Supreme Dalek was waiting for him, in all its white splendour. The moment they came to a halt and he had to drop to the floor to give his leg some relief.

"WE HAVE DIS-COV-ERED YOUR AT-TEMPTS TO STOP US DOC-TOR." It said, not sounding concerned. "THE LOSS OF A FRAC-TION OF OUR SHIPS IS IR-REL-E-VANT. YOU HAVE FAILED."

The Doctor didn't see to inform him that as opposed to a fraction, they had actually dosed every other ship. If they believed most of the ships were safe, that was an advantage. Of course, it all meant nothing if they couldn't get this one as well, as it was the most crucial. "Not as long as she's free, I haven't," He retorted, and after that there was nothing left to say.

But less than ten minutes later, Aliya – minus the stun gun – was escorted in. She was looking at the Daleks with a surprising hatred, and seemed quite worked up.

The Doctor immediately looked up, and when their gazes met, asked the crucial question with his eyes. When she just hung her head, despair flooded through him as his hope mostly dissipated.

"SHE WAS FOUND TRY-ING TO REACH THE VEN-TIL-A-TION. BUT SHE CAN NOT DE-FEAT THE DA-LEKS!" One of the bronze Daleks which had brought her in said it with the usual annoying Dalek ego.

Aliya dejectedly sat near her friend on the floor. "The stun gun failed…I guess we drained it through overuse."

"THE TIME LORDS WILL RE-PAIR THE STOR-AGE DE-VICE!" The Supreme ordered. They were led to where the device still stood.

Rather hopelessly, the Doctor worked alongside Aliya for the better part of half an hour. But then he noticed that the Daleks were surprisingly quiet. None of them had spoken for over five minutes.

"What's wrong?" He inquired, half curious and half just cheeky, "You all run out of things to brag about?"

"CON-TIN-UE…THE…WORK…" The Supreme didn't sound quite up to scratch as it should have. "WHAT IS…THIS…SICK-NESS?!" It demanded the answer shrilly, but the Doctor had no answer other than the one niggling, hopeful suspicion in the back of his mind.

"Maybe you've got a cold," He offered jokingly, and glanced down at Aliya who was still bent over her work. But was that a smile?

"THIS IS…NOT POS-SI-BLE! THE TIME LADY…DID NOT REACH THE VEN-TIL-A-TION SY-STEM!"

"Unless she just made it look like she was going towards it instead of returning from it…" Every Dalek in the room turned to look at her at the same time the Doctor did. The blonde woman grinned impishly. "Actually, now that you mention it, maybe I _did_ get that gas into the filter system. Oops. I'd say sorry, but…yeah."

She got to her feet and dusted off her hands before offering one to the Doctor. He giddily laughed and gave her a fleeting forehead kiss.

"You are fantastic," He said, but within a second of saying it became more interested in the Daleks.

"They're immobilised, probably been that way for at least ten minutes," She guessed.

The Doctor frowned. "That's too strong. Or too quick. Or both." He spun back around to give her a questioning look.

She shifted uncomfortably. "I used all three canisters."

"Why?"

Aliya frowned, but lifted her chin. "I wanted it to _burn _them," She said darkly. Again, the hatred in her surprised him. But it was understandable and very justified and didn't unsettle him as much as it might have once. These days, he had next to no mercy or tolerance left for the Daleks himself.

Even so, he wasn't quite sure how to answer such a statement. He was saved by alarms that began to blare through the room. All the nearby screens turned to mauve and warned that the engines had gone critical.

"Time to go, Aliya, this thing is going to go up in a _very _big bang," The Doctor grabbed her by the hand and together they ran through the now shaking corridors.

* * *

An ominous rumbling filled the air around them. The whole thing felt as though it could go up at second. "The shields will protect us," He panted, "We just need to get inside."

Aliya knew that, but hearing him say it somehow made her more hopeful. She gripped his hand tighter and ran with him. Unless they didn't make it to the TARDIS in time, she would not regret using all three canisters. It ensured it would get all of the many Daleks on the ship and that they and the ship would not survive. Again she heard the rumbling, louder and more fierce than the first time. She was about to start panicking when they rounded a corner and saw the TARDIS only a few metres away. The Doctor clicked his fingers and they ran inside, slamming the door shut behind them.

They had enough time to shoot relieved grins at each other before the entire world turned upside down. Although the TARDIS was protected, it was still affected by the actual force of the explosion. The whole ship twisted and spun over and over as it was flung through space.

The Time Lords were thrown against the walls, the floors, the railing and – several times – each other.

But then the TARDIS gained control and came to an abrupt stop. Aliya hit the floor painfully and a second later something heavier landed on _her_. She clutched it, unsure of whether they were done with being shaken up. But over twenty seconds passed, and all was still.

"We're okay." The thing on top of her said. As she had suspected, it was the Doctor. "Aliya, we made it." She took her face out of where it was buried in his shoulder.

Her reply dried up in her mouth. His face was hovering only a few inches above hers, and his hair was tickling her cheek. His beautifully intense eyes were staring down at her while the corners of his mouth were turned up in a small smile.

Reflexively, and without thinking, Aliya leant up, and closed the gap between them by pressing her lips against his.

* * *

***hides in room and deadlocks door* Don't kill me! At least you guys know you will get the chapter kind of soon because it is already written? **

**So yeah, thoughts? XD **

**Love you all, **

**-MayFairy :) **

**p.s. ALSO WHEN I NEXT POST WE WILL KNOW WHO THE NEW DOCTOR IS AND CAN I JUST SAY THAT I AM FREAKING OUT **


	56. The Worst They Ever Had

**Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter! (am trying to decrease AN size so am now just gonna do general thanks instead but know I still love every individual one of you just as much *blows kisses* oh and there will still be anonymous review replies at the bottom though none for this chapter)**

**All I can say for this is please don't kill me, and I am sorry. I am so sorry. **

* * *

_You and I walk a fragile line  
I have known it all this time  
But I never thought I'd live to see it break_

_It's getting dark, and it's all too quiet  
And I can't trust anything now  
And it's coming over you like it's all a big mistake_

_Oh, I'm holding my breath  
Won't lose you again  
Something's made your eyes go cold _

_**Haunted – Taylor Swift**_

* * *

_How did we get here?  
Well I used to know you so well, yeah  
How did we get here?  
Well I think I know_

_Do you see what we've done?_  
_We've gone and made such fools of ourselves_  
_Do you see what we've done?_  
_We've gone and made such fools of ourselves_

_**Decode – Paramore**_

* * *

For a moment she thought he leaned into it. In that moment she dared to hope. But then it was over she was being pushed to the floor and his weight lifted off her.

There, lying on the floor and feeling as though the air had been knocked out of her, Aliya had her sense return to her.

By all the stars in the sky, what had she done?

"Doctor-" She scrambled to her feet. She couldn't think of anything to say. The Doctor didn't answer, though he glanced her way. His eyes were cold, as if she were a stranger. He limped to the console, checking on the status of everything. "Your leg, do you-"

"Don't."

That stopped Aliya dead. She had never heard him sound so unfeeling. Frustration and hurt pride and rejection welled up in her until she blurted out, "Was it _that _bad?"

The Doctor froze at the same time that she did. Her hand clapped over her mouth. The moment the words escaped her she knew it was possibly the worse thing she could have said. _Oh, you idiot, you and your fucking pride, _She thought to herself.

"Tell me that you didn't just say that," He said slowly. All she could do was stare at him with wide eyes, too mortified to speak. "Or perhaps, tell me why you did it." His voice was low. Low and dangerous.

That was her chance. To say it was an accident, or that she hadn't meant it. But she didn't want to lie, to protect his precious feelings. Anger began to take a bit too much of a hold.

The truth, the crucial, deadly truth. "Because I _love_-"

"No," The Doctor snapped darkly, "You don't get to say that. Don't you dare."

That one really, truly hurt. Aliya felt as though she had just been punched in the stomach. To not only not return the feelings – although she had obviously expected that much – but to say she had no right to declare hers…how could he? His eyes were piercing daggers that tore deeper into her. He wasn't just mad. He was furious, livid, fuming. Yet somehow containing it all.

But he was angry, was he? Well after that, she wasn't quite done.

"Don't _I _dare?" She repeated, looking up at him on the console platform. "Don't _you _dare tell me what I can and can't say."

"You can't say _that_. You have no _right_."

"What?" She took a step forward. "Sorry, I was interrupted the first time. But, I did it because _I love you_."

His scowl deepened. "You don't love me," He argued, visibly more angry, unable to hold it all in.

"I think I would know."

"You'd think so, but you don't know. You're in love with the boy who had yet to learn that the universe is cruel and would make him lose everything he cared about!" The Doctor shouted. "You're in love with the blonde cricketer who told you tales of happy endings and tried to give you the universe only for you to throw it back in his face! Maybe, _maybe,_ he even loved you back. But not after. And certainly not now. I am not that man and I definitely not that boy."

"But you are! Theta-"

"Theta Sigma is dead!" He snarled. "And the man he has become has not loved you in many, many centuries. Since not _cricket_." He said the world like it was poisonous.

No matter how much that stung, she forced herself to see the inconsistency in his words and that history.

"See, now I _know_ you're full of shit! If you've cared so little for so long, explain the night before the Time War!" Aliya couldn't help but say it with a hint of triumph.

His face became disturbingly distant and cold. "You were distressed and scared. I comforted you," He said coolly. "It was nothing."

That one tore into her like nothing else. She had always known that he would cause her more pain than any other, but not like this. She could never predicted this. Not the level of cruelty with which he was dealing blow after blow.

"But…you…you call that nothing? Just comforting me? That wasn't comfort sex, it wasn't just…random…_fucking_, that was love making, and the fact that you are even trying to pass it off as something else-" Aliya didn't know if she was informing, reminding or pleading. All she knew was that she was blinking back tears.

"You were so distraught that you thought there was far more to it than there was. You practically launched yourself at me, and I didn't want to hurt your feelings any more than they already were, so I tried to comfort you."

"How can you even-" She just shook her head in a fit of frustration. "You bastard." She was only a breath away from breaking. But she would not cry in front of him, not now, not the hopeless kind of crying that half of her wanted to do. Her pride would not allow it. "Oh, I can't do this right now," She lifted her hands in a sign of submission and went to go up the steps to her room.

But the Doctor didn't move out of the way. Instead, he crossed his arms.

"For fuck's sake, get out of the way," When she tried to push past him, he pushed back.

"You don't get to just wash your hands of this."

"Watch me," The Time Lady told him, "I'm done with you."

"Good, because I'm done with you," He answered mildly. "So get out."

She frowned. "Out where? Back to my bedroom? Gladly."

"No." He still didn't move. "Out of my TARDIS."

"You're hilarious."

"I mean it, get out, I don't want you here anymore."

Aliya's hearts almost stopped, and felt like blocks of freezing ice inside her. "You're…not serious?"

"Deadly serious. Pack a bag and be out of here within the hour," The Doctor said it like a threat, as if something terrible would happen if she disobeyed. "And don't come back."

Fear and horror gripped her. "You can't – you can't do that."

"My TARDIS, my rules. I told that I could drop you as easily as a human. Here it is. You have been eliminated from the race, evicted from the house, you are the weakest link, so get out!" His anger had returned. But so had hers, and she had no intention of going without a fight.

"Are you serious?!" Aliya yelled. "You're going to kick me out because you can't deal with the fact that I kissed you?"

"You had no right to do that, I told you, I specifically_ told_ you that we were nothing but friends, and you said yes!"

"Well I lied! Obviously! What did you expect me to say? But you are so hypocritical, you are perfectly happy to blur the lines of friendship when it suits you, but no, the moment I cross it, nope, eviction time! That seems very fair."

"I didn't _kiss_ you!"

"Actually, yes, you did! Back when those Cybermen got me, remember?"

"That was back at the very beginning, before I knew who River was, and besides, I thought you were going to regenerate! It was a stupid mistake!"

"What, and this isn't _exactly _the same thing?!"

"No, because it was the regeneration energy, it was a biological reaction, and it is different because you didn't have someone like River. She was my wife, Aliya, you were the Maid of Honour at our wedding! This is different because you know where I stand, and back then I didn't!"

"In addition to the one that actually happened, you are forgetting the one that just a month ago almost happened."

"I don't remember anything of the sort."

"We came _very_ close, and don't pretend you don't remember!"

He just glared, but couldn't quite seem to find an answer for it. "I made myself very clear. You are the one who went against it."

The utter injustice of it all rose in her, along with the anger boiling away within her. "I hate you!" For the first time, she meant it.

"I thought you loved me?" He asked, mockingly.

She shoved away from him. "I take it back!"

"You can't take it back."

"Watch me! And hear me. I have a _lot _to say if this is my last chance."

He rolled his eyes and laughed humorously. "Oh, this should be _brilliant_."

Aliya took a deep breath. "You are _arrogant_, temperamental, selfish and vain! You are decrepit and trying to be young. You have to the be the cleverest and the best at everything! But worst of all, you, Doctor, have become cynical. So much so that you have to bring some bright-eyed person with you just so that you can appreciate what is around you! How did that happen? You used to look at everything with wonder, and somehow we've switched. It should be you!"

"Don't you presume to know anything about how I see the universe," He growled. "You've barely seen it compared to what I've experienced!"

"I know plenty. I know that you're afraid of it. I know that you are so afraid of what it does to those you care about that you refuse to look back. You are such a bloody coward! Did you ever find out where Mel ended up? Did you have the guts to find out what really happened to Peri? Whether she really lived or whether the Time Lords lied to you?" Aliya knew that she was hitting the sensitive spots, and relished it. "What kind of friend doesn't fight to know the truth?!"

"Don't you presume to know anything about my friends!" The Doctor lifted his eyebrow and pointed his finger at her angrily. "You are critical, _hypo_critical, selfish and ungrateful! You've been pining after me for centuries like a lovesick teenager. You know, I bet this was your plan all along, wasn't it? Wait for River to be out of the picture and then make your move?"

The slap she gave him resonated throughout the room. "How dare you," She seethed, as tears came back to the corners of her eyes. "How dare you say that! I loved River and would never have even thought of doing that to her, don't you dare make how I feel about River's death anything to do with you because it's not! All I have in here," Her hand hit her chest, "Is grief for her. I would have given anything to bring her back, I would have taken her place if I could have!" By could have, she meant by the laws of Time, not whether she could have physically done it, because that she could have technically done so. "This was some impulsive mistake, not some big plan that was all about you!"

"So you admit that it was a mistake?"

"Of course. But I don't think making one stupid mistake is deserving of getting kicked out."

He just shot her a look which told her that he had not changed his mind. If anything, he looked more sure every second. "Forty minutes." He left the console via the lower exit.

When Aliya thought he had been gone long enough, she let herself go. She sank to the glass floor and buried her face into the jump seat. A scream of frustration came out first but it soon mutated into horrible bawling sobs. All the while, her firsts banged against either side of the cushioned seat. It didn't help her accept the truth of the situation.

She wasn't sure how long she sat there, but when the tears had mostly dried up along with her energy, she lapsed into silence. As she rested her chin on the edge of the seat, she loudly sniffed, not caring how undignified it was. It occurred to her with a jolt that she needed somewhere to go. The TARDIS had been her home since the Doctor had rescued her, but now…

Oddly, her first thought was Anna. Who would be probably entirely grown from the teenager she had been when they had parted. The closest thing she had ever had to a daughter, now almost definitely with her own life on Trandonia. She quickly dismissed the idea, and that was when she recalled Sarah Jane's offer. Who'd have thought that she would ever need to even consider it?

She did consider it, and it was tempting, because Sarah Jane was just so lovely…but in her hearts she knew it was Jack she wanted to see. Also, Sarah Jane didn't deserve to be lumped with her when it was quite likely that she was going to be a bit of a mess. Jack didn't deserve it either, but at least he was somewhat used to it. Besides, Jack was just more…accepting. Telling Sarah Jane of her stupidity, just thinking of it made her feel ashamed.

Also, if the Doctor came up then Aliya would not be likely to speak well of him. Jack, while clearly still admiring and still slightly in love with the Time Lord, knew that he wasn't perfect. Aliya didn't think Sarah Jane did either, but she didn't think she had any right to change the way that Sarah Jane saw her old friend. Not his Sarah Jane.

That was the thing, wasn't it? Sarah Jane always had been and always would be…his. They all were, really. Always and completely his.

Which brought her back to Jack. Perhaps if he just helped her get a flat or a house, then she could be independent with a home and a job.

Stars, she already sounded disgustingly human. How _mundane_. Still, it wasn't as though she had a choice.

She got to her feet and grabbed the console phone. The number practically dialled itself.

"Jack?"

"_Hey, Alibear! Are you guys coming to see Jenny again? I can get her,"_ Jack offered cheerily.

"Um, no, actually I wanted to know if I could come back to Torchwood. Please," Aliya knew that he would probably be suspicious just because of how upset and timid her voice sounded.

"_Sure," _He replied, and she could tell he was wary and curious underneath his easy acceptance. _"Jenny would love it."_

"Thank you," She whispered.

"_Ali, what's wrong?" _

Aliya raked a hand through her hair with her free hand and bit her lip to stop a sob coming out. "I screwed up. I really screwed up."

"_How? What happened? Is the Doctor okay?" _

"Yeah, no, we're both fine," She said quickly. "But I'll have to explain when I get there, I don't have much time and I've got to pack up a bag. Bye Jack." She hung up before he could answer. With a deep breath, she ran up the stairs and through the corridors until she got to her bedroom. The temptation to throw herself on her bed and start a second round of crying was overwhelming, but she fought it.

In the bottom of her drawers she found her bigger-on-the-inside backpack. In went her favourite articles of clothing, shoes, socks, and underwear. Her temporal mechanics books, her sleeping pills. After a moment's deliberation, she packed the old photos from the top draw as well.

What else was there? Nothing she could think of.

She sniffed again, zipped up the bag, and pulled it onto her back. When she got back to the console room, she set course for Cardiff.

The Doctor returned while she was landing. "It's been forty minutes."

"I'm going!" She growled, snatching her jumper off the floor and hastily pulling it on. But rain pelted her in the face when she opened the doors. She shoved them shut and ran back to her room for a hooded jacket, anger clouding her thoughts enough that grabbing an umbrella didn't occur to her.

Aliya got to the console room and put the backpack on again.

"Have fun here by yourself," She said bitterly, "Good luck trying to find someone of my longevity."

"I don't need someone of your longevity," He answered, glancing at her from the jump seat.

"I could have and would have stayed with you for centuries, for millennia. Good luck finding a human who lasts more than sixty years."

A flash of emotion in his eyes suggested she had struck a nerve. Well, good.

"Get out," He commanded, an edge back in his voice.

"No, I'm not finished yet."

"Yes you are!" The Doctor rose from the seat and approached her with thunder in his eyes until he was standing over her.

Aliya gave him a mocking look. "Did you want another kiss?" She only asked him because of his proximity and to provoke him. It worked. He took a few steps back but looked even angrier for it.

"Get out," He said again, back to his low, dangerous voice.

"Do you think about the Valeyard?" She asked suddenly. His jaw locked but he gave no answer. "I do. I was there, remember? Trying to defend your sorry, rude, ungrateful arse in that court room. And when the Master told us who the Valeyard was, I remember being speechless. It was so inconceivable at the time. How could this man so cold and evil be the future of the one beside me? How could he have changed so much that he could no longer call himself the Doctor?" She looked him straight in the eye. "I could see no trace of him in you then. But you know what? I can see it now. 12th regeneration is getting a bit close now, huh? Have fun with that, and just remember, the one person who would have understood and gladly helped, is long gone."

"I don't need you, I've never needed you, you imagine yourself to be this crucial person in my life, well you're not!" He spat. "I surround myself with humans because _they_ are crucial, they are what matter to me, not that you would ever understand it! Not arrogant Time Ladies who don't know how to listen and not idiotic Gallifreyans who believe themselves to be better than me or to know better than me! You consider yourself to be so above average, to be so above all of the humans you see, all the ones you know have been in your place. Well let me tell you right now that you are worth so much less than any one of them! You think yourself to be so great, yet in reality you are _so much less _than the best of them."

"You just hate that I don't see you as a god! That I don't worship you at your feet and turn to you for everything! You want to be adored because you are so vain, so incredibly fucking vain that you take people with you so that they can tell you how bloody brilliant you are! If Theta could see you now, he would be disgusted with you. He wouldn't believe that you are even him, you've changed so much. And then he would weep for the goodness that he has lost and weep for the fact that he will one day become _this_!" She gestured to him. "The man who can strike fear into the hearts of his enemies with just his name and who will turn on his friends the moment they make a mistake!"

"You shut up right now, you have no idea what you are talking about!" He said dangerously. "You like to tell me everything that I do wrong, Aliyanadevoralundar, and conveniently leave yourself out! You think you know everything when really you know nothing! You love to criticise but never bother to offer a better alternative! You can never shut up when you need to, and you presume _far too much_. You think that your biology gives you an unlimited pass into my life! It doesn't, you are no more worth my time than anyone else! And you meddle, you name my daughter before I even know that she is alive!"

"You thanked me for that!"

"I take it back, you had no right to do that, regardless of the name you chose!"

"You are the most impossible, pig-headed, selfish person I have ever met! If you just took your head out of your arse for a second you would realise that if you keep up the way you are going, you are going to end up alone and cold somewhere on a distant planet, and die without any friends left to care about you!"

After a long silence where they just stood there, both fuming and glaring at each other, the Doctor just said, "You finished?"

"No! I think that you wish I was gone, that I had never survived," She hissed, "I think that you _liked _getting to be the dramatic 'Last of the Time Lords', I think you like getting the humans to feel that they are so important by helping you, that you enjoy playing this poor broken thing because it is a sure way to make sure that you don't end up alone, and end up with someone nice and complacent!"

"If you had _any_ idea what it was like to be the only one left, you would never say something so idiotically arrogant!"

"Just admit that you liked it! That it gave you a chance to take being melodramatic to a whole new level! It was a part you played very well, I am _very _sure. But you acted as though you mourned all the Time Lords, when in truth you hated almost all of them and almost all of them hated you! And I suppose you never mentioned to any of your little friends that you were the reason for your own solitude!"

"I DID WHAT I DID FOR PEACE AND SANITY! DO NOT PRETEND TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I WENT THROUGH AND WHAT I DID!" The Doctor's voice rose to full volume as he shouted, absolutely murderous. "BUT I AM DOING IT AGAIN NOW, FOR PEACE AND SANITY. NOW, I WILL ASK AGAIN, ARE YOU _FINISHED_?"

It took all her control not to flinch at his yelling. Even so, she thought she might have a little. When she spoke again, her voice was quiet.

"I think that you need to realise that you really are going to end up sad, cold and alone if you continue like this. Kazran may have been a difficult case but he listened to his ghosts. Try it sometime," She put her hands on her hips and kept on a resilient face. "_Now _I'm finished."

He nodded towards the door. "Then get out of my TARDIS, I don't even want to look at you anymore." His lip curled and his voice was sour.

"Gladly, if I never see you again it will be too soon!" She glared and stormed out of the doors, into the pouring rain. They shut behind her and she immediately felt as though she had a jagged rock in her gut.

In her overpowering fusion of fury and crushing devastation, she hammered her fists against the wooden blue panels until they disappeared under her hands with the wheezing noise she had always found so comforting. To be on the wrong end of it now made her feel sick.

Aliya walked out of the alley she was in to the street. Based on the dark sky and lack of people or cars, she figured it was the middle of the night. But it wasn't a street she recognised. She only knew the Cardiff streets that were very close to the Hub. This one wasn't familiar, nor were any of the others she could see.

What if she wasn't even in Cardiff?

She crossed the road to sit on a bench, and removed her jacket to protect her backpack with it.

There was no one around, so she had no qualms about just letting herself cry hard and loud. She bent over her knees and buried her face in her hands. Why did he have to be so….impossible? And why was she so stupid and hot-headed when it came to him?

The unforgiving rain mingled with her salty tears, as well as drenching her to the bone. Her hair was plastered to her head, face, and neck, and her jumpy was soggy and starting to smell strange.

"Good evening."

Aliya thought that she should be scared of a random stranger talking to her, but the voice was so…she didn't know what it was, but it wasn't the voice of someone to be afraid of, somehow she just knew. Or thought so.

"Is it?" Her voice was bitter in its retort and she didn't even give the courtesy of looking at them. This didn't seem to put them off because the next thing they did was sit down next to her on the bench.

"Well…depends on whether you like the rain or not, I suppose…" The voice said dryly. Aliya ceased in her sobbing for a moment to think about the fact that it sounded male, and somewhat familiar. To be sure, she tried to make him keep talking.

"I haven't decided," She said eventually as she stared at the strange yet miraculous sight that was rain. She had only seen it a few times in her life, yet she couldn't make herself view it with the same wonder that she once done. "I thought I did."

"But…?"

"But not today."

The man didn't have an answer for that straight away, so she took it as her chance to try and recognise him. She turned her neck to look at him and frowned when she did as she realised how close she was to remembering where she had seen him before.

The man also was completely drenched, hair stuck to the side of his head and sideburns. He was staring ahead at the street in front of them just as he had been, but he glanced at her, and when he saw that she was watching him, he began to do the same to her with warm brown eyes that seemed to calculate her every move.

That was when it hit her who he was. The Doctor. Not _her _Doctor, but Donna's Doctor, the tenth incarnation, who dressed in pinstripes. Panic flooded through her, knowing that it was dangerous to interact with his past, but as much as she tried to move from the spot where she was sitting, her feet and body seemed to be stuck. Her mind was too vulnerable at that point; this was the Doctor, one who had not just yelled at her and smashed her hearts into a pulp. And that meant that she automatically wanted to stay with him, because she was pathetic enough to be craving _something _from him.

That was when she started crying again. She wasn't sure why. Probably because it was the cruellest thing in the universe for her to have to run into the Doctor in the only way she still could. In her peripheral vision she could see him shifting as he faced her with his whole body. Before he could talk to her she was sure that she got in first.

"Who are you? Why are you even talking to me?"

"I walk into an empty street and see a woman l sitting in the rain crying with a suitcase. I wanted to see if I could help," He answered, rather gently.

Aliya turned to him, frowning, and looked into his eyes, trying to work him out. "Is that what you do, do you help people? People you don't even know?"

"Something wrong with that?" He lifted an eyebrow, but his voice was still soft and rather soothing. Already, she liked this Doctor too much.

She shook her head and looked back at her knees, but replied, "I don't think you can help me."

"You might be surprised."

"Unless you know the way to the Roald Dahl Pass…"

The Doctor grinned a gigantic grin that almost made her smile back. "As it happens, I do, actually. Bit of a walk from here, but I've got nothing but time. Also, I have an umbrella." He held it up for her to see.

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely." He stood and put up his umbrella. "Shall we?"

"We don't even know each other's names," She pointed out.

He just grinned at her again. "Easily fixed. I'm the Doctor, what about you?"

That time she did smile back, and then she quickly thought of a name. "Ali. Ali Parker." Wait, no, she'd used that one before! With Donna, no less. What if he recognised it and wondered why she was 20 centuries too young to be at Midnight? Luckily, he didn't react in any suspicious way, meaning that hopefully he hadn't yet done Midnight. Still, when he did, he was going to be rather confused, she imagined. Not that there was much she could do. With that, she grabbed her backpack and ducked under his umbrella with him.

"That wasn't so hard, was it?"

Aliya shook her head. "Thanks, by the way."

"Not at all, Ali, not at all," The Doctor said chivalrously before they started on their way. "But I can't help thinking that someone sitting on the bench at this hour, in the rain, no less, must have a story to tell." She frowned and lifted an eyebrow at him. "Sorry, I'm nosy, none of my business, we don't have to talk about it. We can talk about…I don't know, clothes? Women like talking about clothes, don't they? Clothes and hair?"

"I think both our clothes and hair aren't doing so well at the moment," Aliya joked, but found herself enjoying his company. "And it's okay, really. I just…I have to meet my friend or else I'm a bit screwed in terms of somewhere to live."

"And why's that then? Landlord trouble?"

She was only half sure what a landlord was, all she knew was that she didn't have one. She sighed. "My best friend…I did something that I shouldn't have and he kicked me out. And now I have nowhere to go and no one to turn to. He was all I had and my selfish mistake got him angry. He's hurting and for a second I forgot that."

"Was it a mistake that put either of you in danger?"

"No, but-"

"Then it sounds as though your friend needed to be more understanding," The Doctor theorised, and Aliya fought the urge to laugh at the fact that he was in a way criticising himself. She won, easily. The situation was still looking too bleak for her to feel properly cheerful.

"It wasn't his fault. It was mine. I overstepped a line," Aliya insisted, but a hand landed on her shoulder and made her look at the man who had stopped to stand and face her.

"Listen to me, Ali," The Doctor said seriously, "I may not know exactly what happened, and I don't know that I want to, but he had no right to just…just what? Evict you? Is that what he did?"

Aliya deliberated for a moment before nodding grimly.

"I think that you should go back and-"

"I can't go back. I just can't."

His intense – and rather gorgeous – eyes looked at her with compassion. "Why not?"

"Aside from the fact that he told me not to…we fought," Aliya whispered, "We've fought before but this was so much worse. We just yelled and threw insults until it wasn't even about what I did…you can't come back from that sort of fight. Not after saying those kinds of things."

"I'm sorry," He said, looking her in the eye and appearing genuinely so, then gestured for them to keep walking, "I've never had a fight like that before."

"There's always time," Aliya said sadly, thinking of how one day, in a different body, he would be the one yelling at her and saying all the things that had cut into her so deeply. "Part of me wants to put my hands around his neck for being so horrible and yet – the other part just wants to run back to him as fast as I can."

The look she got from the Doctor then was curious and strangely knowing. "Is he _just _a friend?"

She bit her lip. So badly she wanted to pour out everything to him. But this event wouldn't be rewritten, he would remember it, and she couldn't give him spoilers for the future. "Yes. Just a very special one."

"I had a friend like that, just recently," He said, rather sadly, "Rose, she was called."

Recognition hit Aliya. "Are _you _sure she was just a friend?"

She expected him to say the same as she had, but he just looked even sadder. "No, I suppose she wasn't. But I – I couldn't tell her."

"Words can be hard," She said quietly, understanding. Especially because she knew just how he struggled with expressing his feelings, she had been privy to it for centuries. Also, she had some experience herself.

"Yeah. I mean, words are easy, but the _right _words, well," He tilted his head to the side as he considered it, "Now that's something else." He paused before changing the subject. "So, do you have someone else, then? A boyfriend?"

Aliya just shook her head quickly. "No, not really my area these days."

"Oh," He said with a interested expression, "Girlfriend, then?"

She laughed, finding it funnier than it actually was. "Oh, no. Just very much on my own. But it's…fine, it's just how things are, I suppose."

"Oh, I've done plenty of that. You can get a lot done by yourself," He nodded and smiled.

"I suppose," She considered thoughtfully.

"What is it that you like to do?" The Doctor inquired curiously. "Got a hobby?"

"Er," Aliya faltered, "I like to read. And I like to fix things. Or tinker a little bit. But I suppose…travelling and getting into trouble always seems to come first."

That made him grin widely. "Ali Parker, you are a girl after my own heart. Possibly both."

A human would have probably found the plural hearts mention strange, but she didn't even think to comment on it, so natural it sounded to her. The rest of the sentence, though…it hurt a little.

_Because, clearly, I am, but not in the way you think. _

She just shrugged it off. "I'm just me. I'm clever and that's about all I've got going for me."

"Firstly, there's nothing wrong with clever! Quite the opposite. Secondly, I don't believe that for one minute that it's all you've got," He said sincerely, smiling, "And I'm a bit of an expert. Trust me, you could do anything you wanted, if you put your mind to it."

"You would say that, though," She grumbled.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked, not suspicious but understandably interested, "You hardly know me."

_Shit. Right. _

"Just that you seem like the kind of person who tells that to everyone," Aliya told him, knowing it to be true.

"That's because everyone _does _have potential, far more than they realise," He said sensibly, "But some more than most. Some people are special, and I've gotten fairly good at picking out those who are. And you, Ali Parker, are, I think."

How was she supposed to respond to something like that?

The Millennium Centre then came into view, much to Aliya's relief – and possibly slight disappointment. Now they could go their separate ways and not continue risking time and space being torn apart. Because that was never good.

"Well, thanks, I guess. For that, and for bringing me. We're here, so…" She shrugged rather shyly. She might know him, really, but he still felt like a stranger in so many ways. The most being the way he looked at her, with so little recognition, and the wrong kind regardless. "Yeah, thanks."

"Not a problem," He grinned happily, clearly genuinely pleased to have helped a stranger, "Well, it was very nice to make your acquaintance, Ali Parker. Do you think you'll be going travelling any time soon?"

She shook her head, trying not to think about it too much. Already, the thought of potentially being stuck on Earth was beginning to creep in on her, and she didn't like it in the slightest. "No, I don't think so. I'd like to, but…life just gets in the way."

"Only if you let it," He said, and from him it was a typical answer. Of course for him it was simple, the travelling was his life, nothing got in the way because if it tried, he just ran. "But you want to?"

"Yes," She admitted, "I have this kind of inbred need to keep moving."

When he looked at her then, he seemed very conflicted, and had an odd look in his eyes that he couldn't interpret. "How badly?"

"What?"

Suddenly, he seemed like he was arguing with himself internally. "…see, I don't do this!" He tried to say, but she wasn't following. "With people I've haven't known for very long, yes, but not someone I've known for ten minutes!"

"Do what?" That time she said it more sharply, almost as though she could sense what he was going to say.

"Come with me," He quickly said, "I travel, and I never stop. Life doesn't have to get in the way. And I could show you things you've never imagined."

"Wait…just drop everything and…come with you? Where? How?" Was this was it was like to be a human to the Doctor? To just be asked so eagerly, so easily?

"I could bring you back whenever you wanted, or however often you wanted," He answered intently, eyeing her with growing hope.

"But I don't know you! How can I trust you?"

"Tell me you don't." He said it so confidently, but she could see why. Obviously _she _trusted him, because she did actually know him. But even for someone who didn't…he was so utterly genuine, so completely good that she had no doubt that every human he asked had not been unsure of him.

Oh, how she wanted to say yes. To just go with this Doctor, this wonderful smiling Doctor who could take her on more adventures. Whose company she could enjoy without having to worry. Who would not know of the arguments they had had, who would not look at her with the anger and hatred that his successor had…

But he would also not look at her with any of the same familiarity and tenderness that her Doctor had. She would not be Aliya, she would be Ali. And Ali was a lie.

That shook her of the idiotic fantasy. She was done with the lying. Going with him would be wrong. Not just for her, but for time itself, and that was definitely not an option.

So, with all her self-discipline, she shook her head.

"Is this what you do?" She demanded, staring at him, trying to work him out. "Get pally with a nice stranger and then offer to take them travelling and show them wonderful things? Offer them the world and hope they accept? Is that supposed to sound reasonable, or safe, or rational?"

Her answer threw him. "Well, no, not exactly, but-"

"You're convincing, I'll give you that, I almost said yes," She admitted, and that made him lift an eyebrow, as if he thought that she would change her mind, "But do you honestly hear yourself?"

"So that's a no," He said flatly. Clearly he wasn't up for discussing how he took on companions. By the sound of it, he was too fresh from Rose.

"I'm sorry." She truly was sorry, and didn't want to discourage him from asking the companions she knew he would go on to have, Martha probably being the next. "But I just…can't. I wish I could, you have no idea how tempting that is, but - I can't." For obvious but irritating reasons, she couldn't add, _because I'm trying to get over you_. "Look, Doctor, thank you so much for everything. But I can't come with you. Ask the next girl who needs your help. Maybe she'll say yes."

"Yeah," He replied, with significantly less energy and passion in his voice than before, "Maybe."

It was getting harder and harder just to look at him without her feeling guilty for several different reasons. "Look, I need to go. But _thank you_. So much." Shocking herself and him, she hugged him tightly. While he froze for half a second, he was quick to hug back, because he was the Doctor and he'd hug anyone because that was just who he was. The umbrella tilted and they started to get rained on again, though neither of them paid it much mind.

When Aliya eventually pulled away, she gave him a small, sad smile and stepped out from under the umbrella. The rain immediately pelted down on her again and drenched any part of her that had partially dried.

"Will I see you again, Ali Parker?" The Doctor asked her, eyeing her with that intense gaze of his.

All she could do was shrug, because she didn't have an answer. "The universe is a surprising place."

That made him grin at her. "Oh yes!"

She grinned back at him, before turning away. She couldn't say goodbye, not to him, not when she hadn't said it to his successor either. No goodbyes.

* * *

When she got through the tourist office entrance and came into the Hub, Aliya was completely and utterly soaked and dripping onto the floor. Only a few of the lights were on. The usually bright space was full of shadows that did the opposite of improve her already dismal mood.

No one appeared to be around, not even Jack. So she just made her way to the couch area, and sat down to calm herself a little. It didn't work. When she looked down her hands shook and no amount of deep breathing could stop them.

She slid one of them over her slicked back hair that was steadily letting out drips down the back of her neck. Then she made a fist with it and pressed it against her mouth as she remembered why she was there and exactly what had been said.

"Fuck," She said hopelessly, and let her head drop between her knees as the tears started up again.

About ten minutes later, Jack found her.

"Ali?" She didn't even move when she heard his voice, she just clutched her knees tighter and keep her head down. "Ali, what happened?" He approached her and sat next to her, putting his hand on her shoulder.

Eventually, she just managed to get out, "I fucked up, Jack. I fucked it all up."

He tried to get her to say more, but when she lifted her head from her knees she just kept shaking it while her hands rummaged in her backpack to find her bottle of sleeping pills.

"I think that I should just sleep," She murmured, mostly to herself, "The morning couldn't possibly be worse than this. And then I get some peace."

She took a pill and within ten seconds fell asleep on Jack's shoulder, so he lowered her down so that she was stretched across the couch instead.

"Damnit, Ali, what the hell happened?"

* * *

Aliya woke the next morning to voices. She was able to identify them without opening her eyes. Which was good, because she was curled up awkwardly with her face mashed against a pillow and the back of the couch.

"What the hell?!" Rex.

"Ew, it's back." Marion, being her usual rude self. She and Rex laughed.

"Yeah, it's hilarious, Marion." Jack. "You two get to work and stop gawking at a sleeping woman on a couch." When footsteps suggested that they had indeed left her alone, he tried again. "Aliya, are you awake?"

Slowly, and groggily, she opened an eye while yawning. "It must be bad if you're calling me Aliya."

"If you're up to it, I think you and I need to have a chat."

* * *

***hides in bunker* **

**Please don't murder me. This had to happen, the Doctor was never going to be ready. On the bright side, we get a bit more Jaliya, and some really nice Aliya and Jenny interaction coming up. Plus some more of the rest of the Torchwood team which will be cool. But I'm leave before you all try to stone me or something. :P **

**-MayFairy :) **


	57. Making Do With What There Is

**Sorry for the delay, it's the busy time of year for me, with mock exams and music exams. ****Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter *hugs and blows kisses* To make up for the wait, this chapter is pretty damn long :D **

**This chapter has some angst, some Jenny, some Jaliya, some Gwen, some Marion...but no Doctor, sorry! He'll be back next chapter. **

* * *

_Because of you  
I try my hardest just to forget everything_

_Because of you  
I don't know how to let anyone else in_

_Because of you  
I'm ashamed of my life because it's empty_

_Because of you  
I am afraid_

**Because of You – Kelly Clarkson**

* * *

_Stood there and watched you walk away  
From everything we had  
But I still mean every word I said to you_

_He would try to take away my pain  
And he just might make me smile  
But the whole time I'm wishing he was you instead_

_Oh, I'm holding my breath  
Won't see you again  
Something keeps me holding on to nothing_

_Come on, come on, don't leave me like this  
I thought I had you figured out  
Something's gone terribly wrong  
You're all I wanted_

_Come on, come on, don't leave me like this  
I thought I had you figured out  
Can't breathe whenever you're gone  
Can't turn back now, I'm haunted_

**Haunted – Taylor Swift**

* * *

It only took Jack two seconds to demand answers once he got Aliya into his office.

"Okay, what is going on? What the hell happened?"

The blonde didn't answer, she just sat on the edge of his table and stared at the floor. She looked like…well, like shit. Her hair had dried while stuck to her head, her eyes were raw and red, her woollen jumper stank of wet wool, and just the way she held herself told him that something had indeed gone very wrong.

_I fucked up Jack, I fucked it all up. _

"Aliya?"

"I don't want to talk about it," She muttered, "Right now all I want to do is throw darts at his face."

Jack lifted an eyebrow. "I'm assuming you mean the Doctor and not Rex."

"You assume correct."

Just then, Jenny burst into the room with a huge grin on her face. Her eyes fixed on Aliya. "Heard you were back! God, Marion wasn't kidding, you do look like crap, but who cares?" She hugged the other blonde quickly, and while Aliya was rather unresponsive, Jack did see Aliya's hands wrap around Jenny for a brief moment. "How are you? How's Dad? Why isn't he here? Is he-"

"Jenny, I think it's best if you and I don't talk about your father for a while," Aliya answered flatly, tiredly pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Why?" Jenny asked, laughing, clearly unsure of whether she was serious or not.

"Because no one should ever speak badly of a parent in front of their child but _so help me_ I have nothing good to say about that man right now!" The Time Lady snapped, making Jenny flinch.

"Why? What happened?"

"As I say, nothing good," Aliya said through clenched teeth, "Now for both our sake's, you need to stay away from me for a few days."

"Doesn't that seem a bit extreme?" The girl frowned.

"This is extreme, Jenny. I look like a miserable git, I feel like a miserable git, and I'm acting like a miserable git. Honestly, there's no reason you would want to talk to me right now, so if you don't mind, please just go back to whatever you were doing." Aliya shifted her gaze back to the floor as her ex-best friend's daughter left the room, looking quite confused and upset.

This left Jack more bemused than ever, but also rather cross. "Aliya, if you don't tell me something now I don't know what you expect me to-"

"You want to know? He fucking kicked me out, Jack! We had a massive fight and we yelled and screamed until there was nothing left to yell and scream about and then he kicked me out and here I am because I have nowhere else to go!" Aliya retorted abruptly.

For a moment he just blinked and let himself process it. He'd what? "Seriously?" He frowned.

"Yep," Aliya kicked at a chair as she muttered it, "Arsehole."

"Is he…coming back?"

She laughed bitterly at that. "Nope, I said I never wanted to see him again, and believe me the feeling was mutual."

"So, you're stuck on Earth?"

"Don't remind me about that part." She looked up. "But don't worry, I'm not just going to hang around here like before. I mean, I'd like to keep working here, if I can, but I was thinking you could show me how to get an apartment and do…human stuff." She looked disgusted at the very thought, but was trying to be polite about it. He supposed she didn't have much of a choice.

"Yeah, sure thing, Ali." Being called Ali made her smile. "With the Torchwood salary, you'll be able to afford something pretty nice. Overlooking the water if you want."

Aliya nodded minutely. "Okay," She said quietly, "That sounds…nice, I guess."

Jack had never thought of Aliya as particularly restless before. He had always understood the Doctor's need to constantly see new things and keep moving and always be busy as just the man's personality, but perhaps that wasn't quite right. He didn't doubt that most of it was the man himself. But maybe some of it was actually something that _all _Gallifreyans experienced.

It wasn't that she looked like she was about to go insane with boredom, like he would expect of the Doctor in the same situation, but every now and again her eyes took on a frantic look for a second, like a caged animal.

"You okay?" It was a stupid question, but he felt obliged to ask something, though honestly he didn't know how many more bouts of her crying he would be able to withstand. Silently, he hoped he wasn't about to get one now.

"Not remotely," She said it with a shaky, sad smile, and then took in a shuddering breath, as though she was just barely holding herself together, "I need some air. Be back soon." With that, she rushed out of the room.

* * *

After a quick stop in the bathrooms to clean herself up a little bit, Aliya crossed the workspaces to head for the invisible lift and go up to the pass. She was surprised when she found a cross Marion blocking her path.

"You bloody hypocrite," The dark haired woman said flatly.

Bemused, Aliya shook her head. "What?"

"All that shit about not hurting Jenny, and then you go and do it! She looks up to you, you're her idol, and I don't know what the hell you did, but she just came down here practically in tears," Marion seethed.

"Oh," The Time Lady bit her lip worriedly, "Lord I didn't mean to, I'm just so-"

"I don't want your excuses."

"But-"

"She might not look like it but don't think that I don't know that for all intents and purposes, she is a child. I don't know what happened between you and her dad, but you need to build a fucking bridge and get over it because it is not a reason or an excuse to disregard her like that." Marion used her height advantage to stand very close to her and look very intimidating and reprimanding.

Or she would have, to a human. But to a pissed off grouchy Time Lord, she was just an irritation. Aliya drew herself up to her full height and stared her opponent straight in the eye with the deadly calm signature to Gallifreyans.

"I will not take lectures from the least maternal woman on the planet," She countered angrily.

Marion's lip curled. "Pathetic, isn't it? I'm the least maternal and probably most self-centred person on the planet and yet somehow you manage to be the one to upset Jenny and make yourself look like pretty good competition. Maybe there _is_ someone here who thinks about themselves more than me."

"Unlikely," Esther put in from nearby, almost saying it to herself by the sound of it, but part of it, particularly the volume, suggested that she had wanted it to be heard. Something flashed in Marion's eyes but she didn't respond and merely moved out of Aliya's way with a grudging glare.

"Don't hurry back," She said.

Aliya just rolled her eyes and got onto the lift, ignoring her. But she did watch what went on below as the lift rose towards street level. Rex, who had apparently been eavesdropping, sidled up next to Marion and shot her an oddly significant look.

"You're not really one to talk about upsetting sensitive blondes," He said pointedly. The woman's dark eyes flicked briefly to Esther before her expression darkened.

"Shut up Rex."

Just then, the lift reached the top and the Hub was gone from Aliya's sight. She stepped off the slab of stone and headed towards the pier. When she got there she just sat on the edge and looked out at the water which looked newly still after the rain from the night before. It was a nice view. Perhaps if she did get an apartment overlooking it, that would make things marginally better. It was hard to know how long she sat there with her head full of emotions so strong that they were just blurs as opposed to words. Anger. Hatred. Heartbreak. Betrayal. Regret.

"Hey! Esther said you were back!"

Aliya whipped her head around to see Gwen approaching her cheerfully. "Um, yeah. Hey Gwen."

"Did you get sick of all the travelling?"

The blonde lifted an eyebrow at the question. "What?"

"You know, out there," Gwen nodded at the sky, "With that Doctor of Jack's."

It was strange to hear the Doctor referred to as Jack's. "How do you know?"

"I guessed," The Welsh woman admitted, "Jack filled me in on the details. Are you from a different time then?"

"Yes, but I'd have thought the fact that I'm an alien would have been more interesting."

"He didn't mention that!" Gwen's eyes bugged. "You're not, are you?" Aliya just nodded. "Oh my god! Actually, that does explain quite a bit."

Aliya's lips twitched. "I imagine it probably does."

"Jenny's one too, isn't she? The same kind as you."

Gwen Cooper really was a sharp woman. Aliya nodded again. "She's the Doctor's daughter."

"Oh, so all three of you are the same."

"In a way."

"God, if Marion knew you were-"

"Exactly the same person just from a different background than she thinks?" Aliya finished wryly. "She would treat me exactly the same. Say what you like about the woman, she's not prejudiced."

"No, she just picks the people she likes and the people she doesn't…and then changes her mind and turns on the former occasionally as well," Gwen muttered.

That seemed to match up far too well with what Aliya had witnessed on her way out. "Is this about…Esther?" The ex-cop nodded. "But I thought she liked Esther."

"So did all of us. And Esther was even starting to warm up to her."

"So what happened?"

"By the sounds of it, Esther found Marion in one of the lower corridors really upset about something– I know, bizarre – and when she tried to help, Marion just went mental and said all this horrible stuff. Esther won't say exactly what."

Aliya just frowned. "But she's still nice to Jenny…she even seems to care about her. Does she still like you?"

"Yeah, well enough," Gwen shrugged, "Though obviously now I can't help but wonder if that will last."

"She just…doesn't seem like she even cares about having friends." That was the part that Aliya understood the least. Before their fight, she had valued the Doctor more than anything. But besides that, River had been so important to her too, and she owed Jack more than she would ever be able to repay for letting her stick around and putting up with her. Friends were so important.

"Good, because other than Jenny, she doesn't have any close ones as far as I know."

"So…they are actually proper friends?"

"Yeah, especially when you cleared off. Jenny thinks she's brilliant. Also, if that's her dad, then maybe the 'doctor' thing has some appeal too. She's been trying to learn little things, you know. Getting Marion to explain her work, getting out science books from the library…"

Aliya smiled at that. "That sounds brilliant," She said, truthfully. Pride in Jenny welled up in her. She was truly of Gallifrey, the urge to learn and explore was in her blood, that much was obvious. Although…a part of her felt almost possessive of the girl, and didn't like how Marion had taken her place as mentor. Jenny was like _her_, she was Gallifreyan and would best learn from another Gallifreyan, after all, Marion couldn't teach her anything past basics, because humans hadn't evolved further. Stupid ape, trying to tutor someone of a higher calibre….

She stopped herself right there. The superiority complex was back, and immediately she felt a sense of guilt seep into her. She had no right to be thinking like that, she was no better than any of the humans in there. _But you are, _a voice whispered in her head. _No, I'm not, _another voice replied. But somehow…it was less convincing than the first.

She sighed and hated herself for thinking that way.

"You alright?" Gwen asked, looking at her with slight concern.

"I just…I came out here to think things through…I thought I might be able to straighten everything out in here," Aliya tapped her head, "But no such luck yet."

"And…maybe I should leave you to it," The other woman guessed, and got a grateful smile in return.

"Yeah…I'm not ideal company right now."

"Alright. See you down there."

When she was left alone, Aliya went back to taking in deep breaths.

How had she come to this? Without her best friend, stuck on a primitive age of a primitive planet. She'd offended one of the only friends she had left and had weighed down one of the others with her problems during her last stay. Lord knows she had to try and not do the same again. Sarah Jane was the only one she hadn't done something idiotic to and she wasn't even really a friend, more like a very kind acquaintance and a friend of a friend.

With a horrifying jolt, Aliya felt completely, irreversibly alone.

The sobs rose again, tearing from her and taking her breath from her until she was gasping for air, clutching at her middle and trying not to let her body feel like it was trying to tear itself apart.

She glanced down and examined her hands. Absently, she imagined holding her son in them. The thought of him didn't hurt her in the way it normally did. But holding him – and to a lesser extent, other children – had always made her feel calm and at peace. And if she had been angry or upset, somehow it had all just gone away.

If he were with her, she could hold him to her chest and stroke his hair, maybe sing to him as well. Because the love of a child…that was guaranteed.

But he would be older, he would be fully grown, not her boy but a young man. His arms could wind around her and he could be the one to comfort her instead. Only, he wouldn't be older, because he would never be more than the child he had been when she had lost him.

She missed him now more than she had in a long, long time. Not just that, she missed being a mother. Sure, mentoring Jenny had a bit of a similar feel to it, but it wasn't the same, not really.

_The photographs on the set of drawers…all of the same girl…and at the back, the one of the baby in the arms of someone who looked disturbingly familiar…_

The images flashed through her head, making her frown. Were those memories? From where? Before she could try and work it out, they were gone, and she was left feeling confused. The idea of having memories she couldn't access wasn't a pleasant one. Perhaps they were from America, where the memory-proof creatures had managed to erase what it was that had been so awful, what it was that had brought them there…

But it was gone, she couldn't remember no matter how hard she tried. But she had a feeling that one day she would know, for better or worse, what had happened in Utah.

"_But when you've been friends for as long as we have, when a friendship runs this deep…there shouldn't be secrets."_

The words from after Utah, when they had discovered that her memories were missing…

"Yeah, well, when a friendship runs that deep, you don't evict them because they make one stupid mistake!" Aliya said crossly to thin air. "You don't insult them in every possible way! You don't even want to, not ever, you don't want to slap them, you don't want to make them feel sorry…" She stopped and whispered, "That's not friendship. Not a healthy one."

In that moment, everything became startlingly clear. She had to get over him immediately. And then accept that he wasn't coming back. Only then would she be able to live a life without him.

* * *

Aliya slammed her hands down on the edge of Marion's desk. "Do you want me to stop being annoyingly miserable?"

"Don't I always?" The other woman sighed boredly, not even bothering to look at her.

"Okay, well my problem is that I'm in love with my best friend. He was married, then his wife died. I've been helping him by keeping him company, but then I did something stupid, we got into a massive fight, and he told me he never wanted to see me again." It all came out as one big ramble.

"Understandable." As much as Marion pretended to not care, it was apparent that she was actually listening rather keenly. "What do you want me to do?"

"You're the one who told me to fix my problem. And you're incredibly good at not caring about anything."

"True," Marion smirked, though her eyes briefly drifted over to something over Aliya's shoulder before going back to her computer screen. "Okay, sure, I could use a break. This should be interesting. Pull up a chair, blondie." Aliya did as she was bid. "Now, take this piece of paper and write down all the reasons you shouldn't love him."

Pen went to paper immediately.

_He still loves River. _

_He no longer loves me. _

_It has destroyed our friendship. _

_We are no longer compatible._

_We had our time. _

_I'm never going to see him again. _

The paper was snatched from underneath her and Marion's dark eyes flicked over the six reasons. "Not bad," She said, "You could have done better, but it's better than not having anything and pouting that you're made for each other or some horrific spiel like that."

"If I believed that, would I be asking you for help?"

"Fair point." The doctor turned the paper over. "Now write every bad thing about him. Every flaw, every bad thing he ever did."

_Arrogant. Know-it-all. Has to be the cleverest in the room. Over confident. Makes it up as he goes along. Lonely. Runs from his past. God complex. Selfish. Can be cruel (to me). Incredibly vain. Tries to be younger than he is. Mid-life crisis – lies about his age. Never contacts his friends. Makes everything about him. Has a dark future. Will die alone, sad and pathetic. Wants to be adored. Committed __mass murder (albeit to save many others). Has saved many lives but ruined the ones of some closest to him. _

Aliya could have written more, but again the paper was taken from her. Considering what was written there, she expected Marion to react more strongly than just raising her eyebrow, but that was the most noticable reaction she got. The other woman drank the words in with surprising interest, and there were more thoughts behind her eyes than the older of the two could decipher.

As if caught out, Marion then coughed and eyed her unfathomably. "Complicated guy." Aliya just nodded. "Okay, now reread them all. Remember _why _you wrote them. Remember what he has done to make you write them. Then…tear it into pieces and throw it away." Her eyes stayed on the page that was now back between them, rereading even as she recommended it.

The blonde stood and took the page from the desk, bringing Marion's eyes back to her face. "How do you know so much about getting over people?"

That made her genuinely laugh. It was rather scary, now that Aliya thought about it. "I don't. Virtually nothing, actually. But I _do _know how to keep one idea of a person in your head and not let anything else creep in."

"Oh." Aliya reread the page several times in the space of a few seconds. "Well, thanks, I'll let you know if it works." She took the paper to the bin and violently tore it into tens of tiny pieces, and watched them flutter to the bottom of the bin with great satisfaction.

When her gaze drifted to clock above the couch, she realised that it was early evening, she had been out on the pier most of the day, occupied in more thoughts than she could remember.

She went to Jack's office, hoping to apologise for earlier, only to find it empty. She realised that Rex, Jenny and Gwen were all missing, and that the three of them must be out with Jack. She nearly left when her eyes fell upon his liquor cabinet.

The memories of the last time she had drunk his alcohol, how all her feelings had been somewhat numbed, how it had hurt less for a while…lord knows she had never needed it more than she did now. She could always buy him some more.

She took the whiskey out and took a swig from the bottle before grabbing a glass from his shelf and pouring it in until it was full. Then she gulped it down until it was empty. With a sigh and a clink of glass, she sat at the conference table and refilled the glass only to quickly empty it again, this time with a cringe.

* * *

By the time Jack came back half an hour later, Aliya was…quite drunk. If she had been human, she would have been utterly smashed, but her superior biology was burning the alcohol quickly. But…she also didn't have high alcohol tolerance. An odd combination, she knew.

"Aliya? Seriously?" The ex-con man eyed the near empty bottle which had been full when he had left. He had known that this fight with the Doctor had left her hurt, but this hurt? This stupid?

"I will buy you a new one, promise," Aliya told him with a vigorous nod, and put her glass down. Then her hands went to her jumper, and she pulled it off, tossing it to the corner. "And don't call me Aliya." That was when she kissed him, and for a moment he allowed it before he pushed her away gently.

"Is this me being a kissing distraction again?"

"Yep! Or, you know, a different kind of distraction," She waggled her eyebrows at him, but he wasn't completely sure that she had meant what he thought she had until she had quickly relieved herself of her tank top as well. "Now kiss me, please."

He had to admit, it was somewhat tempting. Her standing there in her bright yellow bra and dark denim jeans that showed off her legs. The Cardiff wind had fixed her hair, and the alcohol had flushed her cheeks and made her eyes overly bright. To appease her and himself, he did kiss her. He kissed her carefully, but that made her respond with more eagerness than she had before.

Her hands wound in his hair, and her mouth parted for him. Then…her hands went to his shirt buttons and began to undo them. His hands moved from her waist to grab her wrists and keep them together between them.

"No," He breathed against her lips.

"If you tell me you don't want to, you'll be lying. You're a 51st century guy, this is what you do," Aliya argued.

"It's not the only thing I do," He said now that there was space between them, "That part of me might want to, but we can't. You can't."

"Why not?" She challenged fiercely. "I'm not an innocent little girl, Jack, I'm over a thousand years old. I'm no virgin."

"But you _are_ innocent. You told me that for you, sex only happens when love is involved. What happened to that?"

Her expression darkened. "He happened. I can't get him out of my head. This is the only way. It might sound strange, but this will help me more than any amount of listening and counselling will." Her hand grabbed his and brought it to rest on the yellow fabric stretched across her chest. They both eyed it, and when their eyes met again, their breathing was shorter, as if some of the air had mysteriously disappeared. When she spoke again, it was a quiet, desperate whisper. "Please."

To answer, he covered her lips with his. The kiss was deeper, full of more temptation and more possibility. Her hands unbuttoned his shirt and he didn't stop her.

But after a few more minutes, when her hands went to the button of her jeans, he pulled away. "No."

"But you-"

"You're drunk, Alibear," He said, with more affection than he intended, and he swept some hair from her face, "And when you're sober you're gonna thank me for this."

"But why not-"

"Ali," He looked her in the eye, more serious now. "I can't. He would kill me."

"He doesn't care!"

"Yes, he does. At the very least, he _did_." Jack reminded her. "I wouldn't be a very good friend. Not to him, and especially not to you."

"You've earned the right to take advantage of me," She insisted, and tried to kiss him again.

"No!" He grabbed her hands again and held them against his chest gently but firmly. "That's just the thing. Not matter what, no one has the right to take advantage of you. Especially not me, not with you."

Her wide eyes stared at him unblinkingly for ten seconds before they started to fill with tears. "But it hurts. It feels like someone scooped out my insides and is dancing on them with stilettos."

"Maybe that was Marion."

She laughed at that, and it lightened his spirits slightly. Then, the crushing sadness visibly returned to her. "I just want it to go away. I just want to forget."

"That's not how this works," He said softly, remembering how devastated he had been after the 456 incident, after losing Ianto and Stephen. "But trust me, I understand."

"It's not just the hurt. I'm so _angry_."

"I know. I understand that too."

"Oh really, you understand being mad at the Doctor?"

"Yeah. All I could think of was if he had come to help, when the 456 came to Earth, I wouldn't have had to lose my grandson. I wouldn't have had to lose Ianto. I blamed him for a very long time and was very angry." Jack told it to her sincerely, and she seemed to recall his anger at the Doctor the first time she had met him.

"Oh. Of course," She breathed, "Sorry. Of course you understand."

He hugged her to his chest. "It'll get better, I promise."

* * *

The morning after, when she was sober, Aliya felt more embarrassed than she had in a very long time. First she would apologise to Jack for being so...well, and thank him for doing what he had. And then she would beg Jenny's forgiveness for being such a horrible person and treating her with a measure of the contempt she had for the girl's father.

"Feeling better?" Jack asked the moment she came into his office.

At the question, Aliya just buried her face in her hands. "I am so sorry, Jack," She said, mortified just thinking about what she had attempted to do the night before. "I was...drunk and distraught and...angry." She bit her lip. "Far too angry."

He just nodded. "If you want to repay me, apologise to Jenny for being out of line yesterday." In his eyes, she could see the protectiveness for the girl that she also had inside her. As friends of the Doctor, it was their job to ensure his daughter was okay. Ex-friend, she reminded herself.

"Believe me, that was already in my plans for the day. I feel awful," The blonde woman sighed. "But as well as sorry, I wanted to say thank you. What you said about how I feel about sex was very true. If I had...with you..." She shook her head, "Well."

"Yeah, it wasn't easy, you made a very tempting little package," He winked as he made the joke and she went red, "But knowing you'd regret it in the morning, and would never do it sober...that can kill the mood pretty fast. As does being a rebound."

Aliya looked at him apologetically but didn't bother to deny it. "I need to find Jenny before Marion starts giving me death threats."

"Well I think that the two of them are together at the moment, going over something in the medbay."

"Thanks."

Sure enough, the small, blonde generated anomaly was examining a dead body alongside the dark haired physician.

"Jenny, can I talk to you?"

The girl looked up, and the hurt expression on her face softened a fraction, contrary to Marion's ever perpetual scowl.

"Um, yeah, okay," Jenny was clearly unsure but she then nodded slightly awkwardly and ascended the steps up to the workstation level of the Hub.

"Thanks," Aliya said gratefully as they walked until they were out of earshot of anyone else. "Look, about yesterday-"

"What happened between you and my Dad?" Jenny asked suddenly, more firmly than Aliya would have ever expected to have been interrupted. "You're best friends, you were obviously in love with him! Then you come back and it's like you hate him. That isn't normal, I even checked with everyone else here."

The other blonde was taken aback. "That's not what I want to talk about, Jenny."

"Then what do you want to talk about?"

"You and me. I like to think we're…friends."

"I liked to think so too," The obvious hurt in Jenny's voice resulted in another stab of guilt hitting Aliya.

"I'm so sorry," The older of the two pleaded, "I should never have talked to you like that, it was selfish and way out of line. You're not the one I'm mad at, and you're probably one of the two people left that I can call a proper friend."

"You must have more friends than that."

"No." Aliya shook her head. "Just you and Jack, now."

When Jenny spoke again her voice was more tentative. "What _did_ happen between you and my dad?"

How to explain without speaking badly of him, that was the tricky part. Aliya sighed. "We - we had a fight. And by the time it was done, we'd...realised...we never wanted to see each other again."

"Just from one fight? But you were best friends!"

"Our friendship's stability was always tenuous at best. This was always...a possibility," The Time Lady swallowed and pursed her lips.

"But you're in love with him! Love doesn't just go away, sometimes it sticks around no matter how much you wish it wouldn't," Jenny said.

"And how would you know that?" Her elder asked sharply, as the words rang too close to home.

"Just something someone told me once."

"Who?"

"None of your business _who_." Again, the reply surprised Aliya. She couldn't be sure if this was Jenny being less afraid of not being polite or a by-product of the girl being around Marion.

However, "I suppose that's true. Well that person may be right, but when there is enough hate involved, that certainly helps in not thinking you're in love, so right now that couldn't be more irrelevant because of how angry I am at him." It was a lie, of course, the anger and hate didn't block out the love, the combination of the three just made the love more painful, the hate more bitter and the anger three times hotter.

Time Lords would always like to claim their superiority, especially when it came to emotions, but when they weren't bring purposefully controlled, they could be more deep and powerful than that of humans.

"But what I really came to do is ask you to forgive me, Jenny. Please," She clasped the girl's hands in her own.

"Of course I forgive you," Jenny immediately gave her a huge hug, "Other than Dad, you're the only family I've got."

"Family?" Aliya whispered as she hesitantly hugged back.

"Yeah. Some kind of it anyway," The anomaly laughed.

"I haven't had family in a long time."

"Well now you have a little one. With just me, maybe."

"I would take just you over anyone else."

* * *

"You busy this afternoon?"

Aliya didn't know how to answer. "Um-"

Jack just smirked. "The answer is no. Because I'm your boss and I say so."

"Where is this going?"

"Do you want to go apartment hunting? I've found a few that might work."

Aliya got up from her desk and smiled nervously, doing her best not to betray how much the mere idea made her panic. "Uh, sure, okay."

"Come on then Alibear, let's find you a place fit for a Time Lady." He offered his arm as they both stood on the invisible lift. They came up onto the reasonably sunny Roald Dahl Pass, where Jack then began to walk and indicated for her to follow. "I've already had a quick look and found a few we can check out to start off."

"So eager to get rid of me, Harkness?"

"I just want my space back. Between you and Jenny, how am I supposed to go out and satisfy my-"

Aliya lifted an eyebrow. "Your what?"

"Us humans have urges, Ali, especially the men, and with you two around you're kind of killing my libido."

She went a bit pink but otherwise was just thoughtful. "That must be so strange. Our...urges…" Her cheeks darkened in colour at that, "They are for the person, not for the experience itself."

"So, in theory, you could go a really long time without _dancing_ and you wouldn't even be bothered by it," Jack considered, and she nodded, as the notion wasn't unusual in the least to her.

"Yes, people could go for decades and sometimes even centuries...knowledge was often considered more important. Anyway, to us, _regeneration_ is like _dancing_."

"In what way?" His voice was a little sceptical.

"Well, it's private. Only your family or spouse should see you do it. Partially because to us, regeneration energy is an aphrodisiac," She said it mildly.

She did her best not to think how the Doctor had stared at her when she had regenerated, how he had remained so still. He had been making sure the aphrodisiac didn't take too much of an effect. Because obviously he didn't want to do anything like that with her, but his biology could have betrayed him.

Jack seemed to find that fact fascinating, however. "To which side?"

That made her blush awkwardly again. "More the side of the bystander, they're drawn to the person who has just regenerated. But to a certain point, regeneration is – well, _electrifying _is the only way I can put it. So you are full of energy and you feel ready to do anything, so…"

"You're ready to _do_ anything?"

"Jack!" Aliya yelped as he made the innuendo. "No. Not exactly."

"Sure, sure, you can try and act all stuffy, but you forget, I've seen the not so stuffy side," Jack winked at her.

"But you haven't seen me regenerate, which is the main thing."

"Has anyone, outside of who should have?" At Jack's question, she nodded stiffly.

"It's hard to get picky about when you die," She reasoned, "Twice. It was him both times."

"Have you ever seen him?"

"No. I almost was able to the second time he did it, and I wanted to be with him when it happened, but they wouldn't let me in. He died alone. No one should ever have to die alone," She whispered the last sentence, "You and I know that better than most. There's nothing worse." He had died so many times over the years...she had no doubt that at least once, there had been no one by his side. It was a horrid thought, and the flash of memory from just before her imprisonment hit her again. _In the dark, dying in the dark, alone and in pain…_

"I really hope that Esther never has to," Jack said quietly, with a sort of brotherly concern in his voice. Unless of course, his thoughts were in quite a different direction. Esther certainly had a kind of admiration for him.

"Hold on...do you and Esther..." Aliya asked, surprised but quite excited at the idea.

"I don't know. I think she might have a bit of a crush on me. But I don't know if I'm just excited at the idea of having someone that can't die on me," Jack admitted.

She nodded, because of all people, she could definitely understand. "Sometimes we just want to not have to explain ourselves. Sometimes we just want to belong."

"Finally, I'm hearing this millennia of wisdom coming through," Jack joked to lighten the conversation, "And speaking of belonging, we're at the first place."

The building in question was too human for her to have a good opinion, but when they met with the woman trying to sell the apartment, they were shown the interesting part. The apartment was cosy, with a fireplace and a kitchen that reminded her of one of the ones on the TARDIS. The bedroom was small and looked comfortable, but it wasn't round, and neither was the bed.

Still, what would she know? Regardless, they decided to look at the other apartments. All of them were nice, Aliya supposed, but none of them seemed to quite ring home. But was it that she didn't like them, or just that they weren't Gallifreyan, or the TARDIS?

* * *

"Hold on, Jack, a few of those apartments…they had second bedrooms, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I just…" Aliya looked down at her feet nervously as they walked through Cardiff to a café Jack swore by. "It occurred to me that Jenny is staying at the Hub too. Do you…do you think that she might want to come and live with me?"

"The worst she can say is no," Jack said, shrugging, "But I have a feeling she'd like that quite a lot."

"I mean, I think it's great that she's been learning from Marion, but I just don't think that Marion is the kind of person she should be around. She's three years old, Jack! She might be physically older, and in some ways mentally older, but emotionally, she is a child. You must be able to see why I'm unsure."

"I think Marion takes good care of her."

"That woman has no concept of what it means to be a mother!" Aliya snapped. There was a brief silence.

"Is that what you see yourself as? Jenny's mother?" Jack asked it quietly, with unfathomable eyes. He could be agreeing, disagreeing, thinking she was insane, or wishing she left well enough alone. She could not tell.

"I…" She swallowed thickly. "No, of course not. Especially considering who her father is. But I'm the closest she has to it. Not Marion. Marion hasn't the slightest inkling of who Jenny is or where she comes from. I'm the only one who knows her background, who can teach her what it means to be from Gallifrey! We're the only two females left of our kind. We should stick together."

"I couldn't agree more," Jack said, nodding, "But I think Marion can also teach her things you can't. All of us at Torchwood can."

"Like what?"

"Like what it means to be human."

Aliya pulled a face. "Why would she need to know that?"

"There are things we do better. You can't look at humanity and say that there isn't a single aspect of it you don't think could make her a better person?" Jack challenged.

After considering it for a moment, she realised that he was right, and felt her body and face relax. "Right. It's not like we want her turning out like a typical Gallifreyan."

"Pompous and unfeeling?"

"Well, yeah, but you've seen her, Jack. She's the exact opposite." It was impossible to keep the fond smile off her face. "She…shines, from the inside out. She's brilliant and funny and so _good_. She's everything good about-" Her breath caught briefly, "-him."

"Which is why you care about her so much."

"Not entirely, or even close…but how could I not?" Aliya said softly. "And she's the last person who is in any way like me. That cares about my existence."

"She's to you what Esther is to me. I get it." Jack pointed to the café they had found themselves outside of. "This is the one."

The café was small but cosy, with wooden walls and floors, and comfy booth seats. As they entered it, they ended up behind a pair of women in their twenties who were having some kind of argument.

"I'm telling you, if we get caught-"

"It will be fine, just relax! If that's something you're physically able to do."

Jack and Aliya raised their eyebrows and shared amused smiles.

"They're like bickering siblings," Jack commented, eyeing the pair. The visibly older one, who seemed to be the one fretting, was a red head, trying to deter her younger, blonde counterpart from whatever it was that they were planning to do.

"Is that what siblings do? I personally am reminded of how Marion tells me off," Aliya chuckled a little, but she didn't say it quietly enough, and the two girls looked over their shoulder, only to look strangely alarmed to find eavesdroppers. _Perhaps they are planning something illegal_, the Time Lady thought suddenly.

Actually, she corrected her previous thought. Only the red head seemed worried. The blonde human had eyed Aliya was a brief curiosity, but quickly had become very interested in Jack and was giving him a not so subtle look.

"Hi," She said, flashing the man a flirtatious grin, which he immediately returned.

"Hi yourself." His eyes were unabashedly giving her a once over - then a twice and thrice over. "Have we met before?"

"Have we?" The blonde echoed it and giggled while her counterpart looked more thunderous and by the minute, true to her hair colour's stereotype. There was also a great amount of panic in her expression too.

"You know, I think we should actually try that sushi place back around the corner," She said pointedly, looping her hand through her friend's arm.

"Ri!" The blonde got a whack on the shoulder for that protest, which seemed to be the red head's name.

"We're leaving, now," The red head dragged her past Aliya and Jack, but couldn't stop her partner from winking and waving flirtatiously at Jack as she was dragged off.

Briefly, they caught a snippet of the duo's words (or more accurately, the red headed Ri's words) as they left. "I'm going to kill you for being so careless, and then _she_ is going to kill you, and then _he_ will go and-" The door shut, and with it, the girls and their words were gone.

Aliya blinked. "What just happened?"

Jack shrugged, not massively bothered by the situation, clearly, "Looked like young delinquents, based on the worn clothes and how they rushed off. Plus they sounded like they were up to no good."

"The blonde one certainly liked you," She commented wryly.

"With good reason, I'm gorgeous," Jack said smugly, and she laughed before they ordered their food and sat down at a table.

"Okay, I have to ask. What is it like having everyone find you so attractive?"

He laughed heartily at the question. "Does everyone include you, Alibear?"

"What do you think?" Aliya asked with a lift of an eyebrow.

He winked. "I'm thinking that last night you half-stripped and tried to seduce me."

"While I was drunk," She defended, "And unsuccessfully, remember?"

"I remember – I remember getting to second base."

_Oh, yes. _Her eyes darted down to her t-shirt covered chest, half –expecting to see a hand print on it. She felt her cheeks warm up. "Well, I'm nothing if not stubborn and persistent."

"Feel free to try again, only when you're sober."

"Don't tempt me, Harkness," The blonde woman flirted back, just as their food arrived.

"Never. You know that screwing a Time Lord is my life goal."

That made her roll her eyes. "Good luck with that."

* * *

One of the apartment owners they saw after their late lunch was incredibly friendly. She was an endearing and somewhat plump woman called Helen who had baked them cookies beforehand and cheerfully told them useful tidbits about the apartment, while constantly referencing things her son had enjoyed when he had been in his childhood and adolescent.

Aliya was in the living room when she spotted a family photograph on a set of drawers. It was so wonderful in a very human way...parents with a child, all grinning at the camera goofily, the apartment owner the mother, only significantly younger in the picture. The son in the photograph looked to be about seven, a similarity which rang a little too close to home. _They all just looked so happy…_

"Are you alright, dear?"

Aliya jumped. "Yes, fine," She said quickly. "I just…this is a lovely photograph."

The woman smiled fondly at it. "Yes it is one of my favourites." She then looked at Aliya, who had continued to stare instead of replying. "Which one of them was it?"

The blonde's head snapped up. "What?"

"Your parents. I know that look, I've lived enough to see it." The compassion in her eyes was, honestly somewhat unnerving coming from a stranger. "Mine went in the winter of '97. The cold just got to them, I suppose."

"Oh," Aliya frowned at that, "I'm sorry to hear that. Mine died together too, I think."

"Too young, to be losing your parents," The human put her hand on her shoulder comfortingly.

"Too young to lose the son as well," The Time Lady's whisper was supposed to go unheard, but it did not.

"Oh…my dear, I'm so sorry," Helen's eyes were sad as they regarded her, and…empathetic? "There's no greater pain. I was 32. You must have been…well, as you say, too young."

"You…but…you told us about your son, you never spoke in the past tense."

"There was a twin," The woman said with a melancholy smile, "Too small from the beginning. Never made it past the first year."

"That's so sad," Aliya said sincerely, "I wish both of our children had been more fortunate."

"But I still have my George. And he's what makes it bearable. But even the ones who leave us…they're never really gone, because they live in our hearts. And we'll see them again, once we've left this place." Helen spoke with such conviction, such belief, that Aliya was stunned.

"You really believe that?" Perhaps, a tiny irrational part of her also wanted to. But the scientific part of her which was dominant denied such an idea.

"I really do."

"Ali? We've got to go if you want to see the last apartment today." Jack called out to her from the door, making her jump.

"I've got to go…but this is a lovely place, and even if I find somewhere else," Aliya hesitated awkwardly, "Thank you, for…er-"

"You're welcome," Helen patted her hand as her eyes shone with an understanding and kindness that staggered the other female. As Aliya left with Jack and they headed back to the SUV, she couldn't help but feel awed by what had just transpired.

"…_you can't look at humanity and say that there isn't a single aspect of it you don't think could make her a better person?"_

Was that humanity? _Is _that _what the Doctor and Jack mean when they talk of human qualities and potential? That…inherent kindness? She didn't even know me, but she understood and she tried to comfort me, _Aliya considered.

For the first time, Aliyanadevoralundar realised that she might have begun to understand why the Doctor loved humans so much.

* * *

It was early evening by the time they got to the last apartment in Jack's initial tour. After a long day of rather fruitless searching, Aliya didn't have high hopes. But the moment she walked through the door, her hearts did a little skip.

It was spacious and full of natural light, with wooden floors and a modern design scheme full of block shapes and white walls and kitchen. Across the living room from the entryway were a set of glass doors that led out onto a balcony. The sun was just beginning to set and the rays of colour were coming through the large windows and filling the room.

A peek into the two bedrooms revealed both to be large…one of them possibly even large enough to fit a circular bed, if she could find one. The bathroom was immaculate with a huge bath that she could just imagine being filled with bubbles.

"I want this one," Aliya told Jack with utter certainty. He just grinned.

"I thought you might."

* * *

**Drop a review and let me know what you think! We're 25 away from 1000 (holy crap) and there's a kiriban for whoever is number 1000 (assuming it is a substantial review and not like half a sentence, even though I love those reviews too)! **

**-MayFairy :)**


	58. Excursions

**Well, this chapter got too long so I'm splitting it in half! Good news is that the next chapter won't be far off because it's already written! **

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed I love you all (due to story clean and a chapter deletion, some of you guys weren't able to review and that's cool)! **

**This chapter finally sees the Doctor post-fight, and we get to see the Ponds for the first time in AGES! For those of you that actually can remember, Amy was pregnant, and so this chapter we get to meet the Pond!baby. :D **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

It was quiet in the TARDIS. Constantly, utterly, horribly quiet.

The Doctor wandered back to the console room and stared at the console absently. Five months he had been drifting around. Oh, sure, he'd gotten himself into trouble on many occasions in an attempt to busy himself. And it worked as well as it always did. But he would return to an empty TARDIS and be no better off than he had been before.

_"...you are going to end up alone and cold somewhere on a distant planet, and die without any friends left to care about you!"_

He flinched as her words echoed in his head for the umpteenth time. He could never remember being so angry before - not at someone who was supposed to be a friend. She had just made him so mad...and she had been so selfish...

A small part of him knew that he could have handled the entire situation differently._ And then maybe she would still be here,_ a tiny voice said, which made him stiffen.

"I don't want her here," He said aloud, "I don't want to even see her face again."

He needed another distraction. And the perfect one occurred to him. How had he never thought of it before? He flew into action, flicking the controls and doing his usual dance around the console. When the ship came to a stop, he stepped out into the backyard of the Pond's house.

And poking their heads out of their back door, were the Ponds.

His hearts lifted just seeing them. Amy, vibrant brilliant Amy, in all her Scottish and ginger glory. Rory the Roman, ever big nosed and fantastic.

"Doctor!" Amy squealed, and she immediately rushed to him and gave him a huge hug. He hadn't realised how much he had missed her hugs until he was back in one.

"Hello Pond," He greeted as he hugged her back. "Long time no see."

"God I missed you," She said, releasing him enough to get a good look at him. "You look older. Maybe not your face, but you."

"Yeah, well, it's been a while," He said.

"How long?"

"I don't know," He admitted, "Eight years, maybe, maybe more."

"Eight years?" Amy frowned as she looked at him with new worry. "Is River with you?"

The Doctor couldn't stop the pain that crossed his face. "No. I've had my time with her, she - she's gone now, for me."

The ginger held his hand tightly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm always okay. King of Okay," He promised, and let his attention be diverted by the husband behind them. "Rory the Roman! Yes!" He was quick to hug the other man enthusiastically. He had missed Rory too, with his quiet bravery and big nose. Oh his Ponds, it had been so long. Too long. "How long has it been for you?"

"A few years since the wedding," Rory replied.

"So still a while for you two then."

"Us three, you mean," Amy chuckled. To ring her words home, a tiny voice spoke from behind them.

"Mummah?"

The Doctor released Rory and turned to look at the toddler standing in the doorway.

"Doctor, this is Vincent," Amy said as she scooped the boy up to rest him on her hip.

The child was beautiful, though he had expected no less considering the parents - the mother especially. He had Amy's ginger hair and hazel eyes, but in all other ways resembled Rory, with the shape of the eyes and the scruffy hair and possibly even hints of the nose too.

The Doctor realised that he was staring, and he smiled at Vincent, who was eyeing him curiously. "Pond...you made a thing."

"Yeah, we both did," Amy chuckled, and Rory looked glad to be credited.

"It's a very good thing," The Time Lord said, somewhat awed as he held his hand out for the toddler to grab onto. "Good job."

Amy's eyes sparkled with amusement as she addressed her son. "Vincent, this is the Doctor."

"Doctor," Vincent said happily.

"Vincent would have loved this. He's ginger, it's perfect," The Doctor said, "Perfect and cool. Gingers are very very cool." He had somehow forgotten about Amy's pregnancy since the wedding. He wasn't sure why, but perhaps it was because the idea of companions with babies was just too strange. Amy and Rory would be the first - though when he had looked back on the Chestertons before his regeneration, Barbara had been pregnant by the time the two had gotten around to getting married.

But this was different. The child was staring at him intently, and giving him immensely warm fuzzy feelings in his stomach. How could children - human ones in particular - be so cute and so beautifully perfect? He did love them, this regeneration in particular. And now that he knew Jenny was alive, he was a father again and that endeared him to children even more than before.

And the Ponds didn't even know about Jenny.

"Is Aliya with you? Thought she'd have come out by now," Rory said as he eyed the TARDIS.

He couldn't be sure, but he thought he flinched at hearing her name. "No, she's not with me."

"Why not?" Amy frowned when he didn't reply. "Is she okay?"

"She's fine, Pond," The Doctor said.

"If she's not with you, where is she?"

He was about to answer when he realised - with a jolt - that he had no idea. He had taken off immediately to get away from her. There had been rain, but that hardly narrowed it down, she could be anywhere in universe. But he never wanted to see her again, so it hardly mattered.

"Not sure. Maybe with her daughter. Maybe with my daughter. Maybe someone else's daughter," He shrugged, and the Ponds' eyes practically popped out.

"Since when did both of you have daughters?" Amy asked, understandably shocked.

"Oh, well, she doesn't really have one, more like an adopted daughter from when she was-" He refrained from saying _in her bitchy third incarnation_ and instead settled for, "Younger and more independent."

"But you do." Rory lifted an eyebrow. "How come we never knew?"

"Because she was dead, Rory," The Doctor said slowly, "Or I thought she was. Turns out she's not." He briefly touched Vincent's face. "But she was never like this. I never got her like this."

"How do you mean?"

"She's not from Gallifrey, she was born after the war. She's a generated anomaly. Born from a tissue sample from my hand. The DNA gets extrapolated and then the cells grow at an abnormal pace. She came out fully grown. She's my daughter, but I never - I never held her like you can hold Vincent."

As she tried to gather her thoughts, Amy held her son out to him. "You can hold him, if you like." The Doctor took the ginger toddler from her and held him on his hip like she had. "So...you're like a mum too, then."

He sighed, but because it was funny and such a typical thing for her to say. He rolled his eyes fondly. "Yes, if it entertains you." It was obvious that it did.

"What's her name?" Rory asked.

"Jenny," The Doctor couldn't help but smile just at the thought of her. "Her name is Jenny."

"Bit different from the Doctor, or Aliyanavorlunar, or whatever Aliya calls herself," Amy noted.

"A friend of mine came up with it. Generated anomaly. Hence, Jenny."

"Can we meet her?"

"She's in Cardiff right now. But at some point, yes Pond, I would like that," The Doctor said. He curled Vincent's hair around one of his fingers.

"What's she like?"

"She's perfect. Short, blonde, brave and perfect." And oddly enough, only a year or two older than the child in his arms. "You'll like her."

"Does Aliya like her?"

"Yes, they get along very well."

After a few seconds, Rory said to Amy, "The pie'll be ready now." She nodded as he ducked inside, and the Doctor for the first time caught wind of the warm, rich smell wafting out of the door.

Amy watched her husband go before turning to her old friend. "Will you stay for lunch?"

The Doctor beamed as he shifted Vincent on his hip. "Alright Pond. Lunch sounds good. Got any fish fingers?"

When his old companion laughed and her son giggled along with her, the Doctor felt his hearts grow lighter. This was where he belonged. With his brilliant, wonderful humans who were so kind and alive and shining.

* * *

_Do you want to live with me? Hey, Jenny, I'm moving into this apartment that overlooks the bay, and there's a second bedroom. Would you want it? _

Aliya didn't know why she was so nervous. She liked to think that she was quite a confident person. But since her arrival back at Torchwood, her self-esteem had certainly lowered considerably. Perhaps it was from the Doctor's insults and cruel words, perhaps it was from her own stupidity and failure. Perhaps because Marion of all people had been able to to lecture her with somewhat just cause.

And after all, she could very well be overstepping boundaries. Jenny was after all the Doctor's daughter, and not her own. Or Marion's for that matter, but Marion was mentoring as opposed to mothering Jenny, and would likely laugh if someone accused her of the latter. With good reason, too, the idea _was_ absurd.

"Aliya?"

The Time Lady spun around from where she had been staring at the wall, and found herself staring at Jenny, who looked amused.

"Are you alright?"

Aliya nodded, and smiled at the girl. "Yes. I was about to come and find you, actually," She said while Jenny made herself coffee.

"Why's that?" Jenny was apparently quite adept at using the coffee maker. She was in many ways already very familiar and comfortable with many aspects of 21st century life on Earth, more, probably, than Aliya, who still felt at many times like the uninformed alien she was.

"Well, Jack's helped me find a place to live. It's an apartment that overlooks the bay and-"

"So you're really staying?" Jenny interrupted, looking surprised and unsure of how she felt about it.

"I really am," Aliya said with a hesitant smile, "But the thing is that the apartment has two bedrooms. And I was wondering if...you wanted to come and live with me."

Jenny's entire face lit up. "Really?"

"Yes."

"Oh yes please!" The girl launched herself at her elder and wrapped her arms around her neck as she hugged her excitedly. "When are you moving in? When can _I_ move in? Are we going to cook our own food and everything?"

Aliya laughed, at the questions themselves and just because she was relieved and incredibly happy. "The paperwork goes through in a few days. And then we can move in, I suppose. I've only got my backpack so there isn't much to do. How much stuff so you have?"

"Jack bought me a suitcase, and I keep all my clothes and stuff in it. Nothing much apart from that."

"You can help me change the décor once we're there, if there's something you want to change. But it's lovely and open and bright, I think you'll like it."

"We can stay up all night doing physics and history and-"

"Careful, Alison might actually need her sleep," Esther said, having overheard the last few lines of the conversation as she came to sit at her desk. "But don't forget late movie nights with popcorn."

Aliya frowned before remembering that other than Jack and now Gwen, the rest of the Torchwood team still thought that she was human, and named Alison Holmes. Though apparently they had become a lot more comfortable with Jenny in her absence. Which meant surely she could just reveal that she also wasn't of Earth? It sounded reasonable to her, but then again, humans were hardly her area of expertise. She decided to ask Jack about it later.

* * *

When Aliya turned the key in the lock of the apartment, she stepped back and let Jenny open the door. The girl gasped with excitement and ran inside with her suitcase. She dumped it in the living area with a loud thump.

"This is so brilliant," She told Aliya with a huge grin, "We don't really have to sleep much, so we can spend all night doing Gallifreyan lessons!" Only to Gallifreyans would the idea of all night lessons actually be one to look forward to.

Aliya came in with her backpack on her shoulders and smiled back at her. "I'm glad you like it. Did you see the view?"

They walked to the balcony doors and went out. In front of them was the view of Cardiff Bay, of the buildings, the Pass and most importantly, the beautiful water and where it met the sky at the horizon. It was late morning, so the sun was bright and shining. It reflected off the water tower and the water of the bay, throwing beams of sunlight around. All the passers-by below were walking through the pass as the strong wind whipped at their hair and faces.

"It's fantastic," Jenny said, beaming.

"So, what are we going to eat?"

It was such a simple question, but it threw both of them. When their eyes met, the utter lack of an ideas made them both start laughing.

"I think this is where we go to the supermarket and buy food, isn't it?" Jenny said, and when Aliya looked horrified at the thought, the girl giggled. "God, it's not that bad, Aliya."

"But it's so…_human_ and _domestic_," The Time Lady all but moaned.

"You have superiority issues."

"Yes, I do. Jenny, we'll have to go past people who do it all the time. People who will be discussing what brand of cheese is better value or whether or not they should buy biscuits!"

"Why shouldn't they buy biscuits?" Jenny asked, genuinely confused.

"Exactly!" Aliya threw her hands up in exasperation. "There is no reason to not get biscuits!"

"I don't see why this is important. Come on, it won't be that bad." Jenny grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the door, grabbing her wallet and tucking it into the back of her jeans while Aliya just muttered under her breath about 'bloody humans and their stupid supermarkets'.

* * *

When they got to the nearest supermarket, Jenny took the trolley and pushed it while humming a catchy tune that Aliya didn't recognise as she followed behind, eyeing their surroundings warily.

The place was pleasantly colourful, but in a rather forced and artificial way, and a lot of its charm was stolen by the amount of people pushing trolleys around, bustling about in that hurried human way. The numerous aisles stocked with various packets and cans were so oddly alien to Aliya that she felt unnerved by the whole thing.

"What do we buy?" Jenny's question again made them pause.

"Basic food groups. If we get a bit of everything, we can't go wrong," Aliya said sensibly. So they got various vegetables and fruits, with emphasis on bananas. Then they put in some bread and muffins which had enticed Aliya's sweet tooth. Several different boxes of cereal went in too – a rainbow sugary one, a chocolate one and a healthy one with muesli that looked at least a bit similar to what had been served on Gallifrey.

"So do you actually know how to cook?" Jenny inquired as they picked some biscuits and chocolate.

"I know how to make salad," Aliya replied weakly, smiling at the absurd reality that she was an incredibly educated Time Lord who didn't know how to do something as simple as cook a meal. "I tried to made a cake once…your dad laughed at me because of what I'd done wrong. And then we got into a food fight…still not quite sure how."

"Sounds like fun," Jenny said, grinning.

"Yeah, it was." Aliya smiled slightly at the memory. She wanted to be able to remember the good times, but they always reminded her of the more recent bad times…all she could do was hope that wouldn't last.

"Oh my god, it's Gwen!" Sure enough, coming up the aisle with a man next to her and a young toddler in the front of the trolley, was Gwen Cooper. Jenny began to wave enthusiastically, and Gwen noticed them and pulled her trolley up next to theirs.

"Hello you two," The Welshwoman said, "Out on important business?" She eyed the chocolate and biscuits in their trolley, and the two blondes just shared a grin.

"Hardly. But there's so much to choose from! Shopping's brilliant," Jenny said brightly, and the man next to Gwen raised an eyebrow while Aliya just silently let herself think the exact opposite. At least one of them was enjoying it.

"It's not bad, I suppose," Gwen said, shrugging. "Oh, this is my husband Rhys, and little Anwen. Rhys, this is Jenny and Alison – no, Aliya, isn't it?"

Aliya just nodded. "Nice to meet you," She said, and Jenny echoed her words, only with a bigger smile.

"Same here," Rhys answered, "Heard a bit about you two." He looked at Jenny. "Aren't you a bit young for-" He checked for people nearby before settling on, "- Gwen's sort of business?"

"Nah." Jenny just grinned. "There's just an awful lot of running."

"She's perfectly capable, don't worry," Gwen said.

"Your daughter is lovely," Aliya said suddenly, changing the subject as she eyed the delightful child.

"She's a real sweetie, almost never makes a fuss, unlike her dad," Gwen joked, and Rhys scoffed.

"Hello Anwen," Aliya said, bending so that she was level with the toddler. Anwen smiled at her and made a grab for her hair, one which the woman was only just able to dodge. But she laughed. She could recall Anna being the same when she had first taken the Trandonian child in. There were some things that didn't change throughout the entire universe. Of course, Anna's skin had been paler – pure white – while her eyes were black as a clear night sky. And like all Trandonians, her hair had been turquoise. So…just _slightly _different to the human toddler in the trolley.

"She's always doing that to Gwen," Rhys said, and Aliya just smiled.

"They all do it at some point."

"You got kids?" Rhys asked, and she was so surprised she didn't answer at first. It was such an innocent question. But then she just smiled.

"No. But I'm looking after this one and that's more than enough," Aliya said, grinning and nodding at Jenny, "I don't think children are in my future." It was true enough. Gallifreyans could only reproduce with other Gallifreyans, though Leela and Andred had managed to have a child through some very skilled genetic manipulation which could only be achieved with the equipment on Gallifrey.

Without that equipment that left one person in the universe where it was even slightly possible – and Gallifreyans had a shockingly low rate of fertility as it was. Plus, that one person was the Doctor, who she was likely never going to see again, there was no chance of anything like _that _ever happening between them. Besides, Time Lords were conceived and then the genetic material was transferred into the Looms, and with Gallifrey gone there were no more Looms, hence, no way for the baby to come into being.

They weren't like humans, they couldn't just carry the baby and deliver it naturally…that just didn't happen.

Aliya shuddered at the thought. She was _perfectly _content with not having any more children. She had a son, then an adopted daughter, and now a young woman to mentor. Babies were cute, but definitely just for looking at.

She just smiled at Anwen and enjoyed the warm feeling in her stomach that she got from being around children. They were just so pure and innocent…their eyes were filled with utter joy at the world.

Of course then she saw a ready-made pancake batter that just needed water added to it, and she had to excuse herself to investigate.

* * *

When they finally got back home – it was odd to think of it as home, and Aliya couldn't quite bring herself to think of it that way, while Jenny seemed to love it – they put away all the food they had bought and opened the cookbook they had purchased on the way home.

"So, we just follow the instructions?"

"I think so."

It took them three tries but eventually they managed to make a vegetarian quiche without it being completely blackened on the bottom. Aliya attributed the success to Jenny, who had taken charge that time around, and clearly gotten the right result.

* * *

"Incoming alien ship! It's coming right through the atmosphere!"

"Shit, how long have we got?"

Esther felt Jack appear at her side within seconds. "I don't know," She admitted, "Ten minutes, twenty minutes?"

"Put me through."

She did her best, but the connection wouldn't hold. "Sorry, Jack, I can't, they're blocking it. Whoever they are, they don't want to talk."

"Then we'll just have to greet them in person."

* * *

By the time that Jack, Gwen, Rex, and Aliya reached the alien ship where it had landed out in the fields some distance away from the city, there wasn't much to see. There were no lifeforms in the area, humanoid or otherwise, and the ship looked deserted.

Gwen's eyes narrowed slightly. "Whatever they are, they got out fast."

"Maybe they're scared," Aliya said hesitantly.

Rex rolled his eyes. "Holmes, for just one minute, could you not be sympathetic? They might be scared. They _also _might be plotting to kill everyone on the planet!"

"Aliens aren't always intent on world domination or decimation," She retorted, doing her best not to feel personally insulted, not that she could say so, "You like Jenny well enough."

"Yeah, but she's on our side. Plus she _looks_ normal," Rex said.

"Oh, it would be about looks for you, wouldn't it, you bloody American!" Aliya rolled her eyes.

"Yeah well, if you and Narke are the best England has to offer then thank god for America!" The black man scowled at his blonde co-worker, who scowled back.

"You two…" Jack said in a warning voice that sounded very fatherly, "Play nicely."

"I'll play nicely when Matheson starts being a decent human being and pulls his head out of his arse!"

"And I'll play nicely when she stops looking down her nose at me even though she's an annoying freak!" Rex and Aliya just glared at each other.

"I don't look down my nose at anyone!" Aliya defended. But then she saw the other's faces. Rex was annoyed and incredulous. Gwen disagreeing slightly. And Jack looked a tad sheepish. "Wait…really?"

"Only sometimes," The immortal man said, "And you told me why."

"I can't help it, it's just-"

"I know. But we've got more important things to worry about."

"Right. Sorry."

Jack lifted his hand to his ear comm. "Esther, flower of my heart, we've got an empty ship here. How's your end holding up?"

"We've got mass flares through the city. The computer can pick them up but not identify what they're flares of. Whatever was in that ship, they're spreading out-"

"Jack, there's a force-field around the ship," Gwen interrupted, rubbing her forehead where it had just collided with the barrier, "We can't get in."

Marion's voice joined the conversation. "Harkness, if these things are hostile, you're going to want all the help you can get. Esther's sending an address now, it's central to the concentration of the signals."

"Okay, see you there." Jack looked to his half of the team. "Back to the SUV. Rex, in the front with me." Aliya couldn't help but suspect that he had separated her and Rex on purpose. Admittedly, it wasn't a stupid move.

* * *

When they pulled up alongside the other SUV, Marion, Esther and Jenny were waiting on the street corner. When Aliya saw the gun tucked into Jenny's waistband, she opened her mouth to say something. But Jenny was quicker.

"Emergencies only, like yours," The girl promised, and grinned. "Don't worry, Dad covered the no guns rule the day I was born, literally." It was comforting to hear, but it made Aliya all too aware of the cold metal of her own gun chilling her skin through the fabric of the back of her shirt. She wished she didn't have to carry it, but Jack wouldn't let her even come along with it. All she could think of was the accusing eyes of the Doctor if he could see her in that moment.

_Not that I care what he thinks anymore. _

"At least _you_ know how to use it," Marion said to Jenny, making Aliya frown. She had been about to say the same thing, oddly enough, but it was more of an insult as opposed to a joke coming from the doctor.

"So you said you couldn't get onto the ship?" Esther meanwhile asked Jack. He shook his head. "Okay…and since when am I the flower of your heart?" She lifted an eyebrow and grinned.

Jack grinned back. "Since always. I've got plenty more…Sun of my life, moon of my sky-" His flirting was interrupted by Marion.

"If Harkness is quite done proving that he has no standards if he is moving onto members of his staff other than the one he's already sleeping with, we've actually got a situation here," She said pointedly, looking cross. Esther, who had been apparently rather enjoying Jack's attention, shot her a dirty look for a moment before going back into business mode.

"Right," She said. "So if we couldn't get into the ship, was there anything you guys could learn about them?"

"They're from the Isop galaxy, probably from one of the planets on the rim based on a few of the more minute features of the ship, but they've travelled a lot," Aliya said suddenly, surprising everyone.

"And you didn't mention this before because?" Rex asked her.

She just stared at him coolly. "Because no one actually bothered to ask."

"How do you know they travelled?" Jenny inquired curiously.

"They've got a few parts on their ship that don't fit with the rest of the design. They must have made repairs with parts potentially quite far from their origin."

"And they're here," Esther breathed, her eyes wide.

The entire team spun to face the same away as her. From a nearby alley, at least ten creatures crept towards them. They were small, as they walked on all fours, crouched over themselves despite being a humanoid form. But if they were standing upright, Aliya guessed they still would probably have not even reached her shoulder. Their skin was grey yet oddly bright, and the many pairs of yellow eyes shone out through the dark.

"Guys." They looked over their shoulders to see Jenny facing another group of the aliens who were approaching from the other side.

"What are your attentions?" Jack asked the creatures, hand on his gun. "Why have you come to Earth?"

"We do not need to answer your questions," One of the nearest ones snarled. Its voice was gravelly and heavily accented, and its words were barely discernible from a hiss.

"Actually, you do, or we're just going to shoot all of you," Rex said, already pointing his gun directly at it.

Just then, another creature approached from the side, dragging what looked to be a human body. But the man's skin was grey – like the creatures – and he was convulsing slightly. "Conversion here is optimal, as predicted," It told the one who had spoken before, the one who was perhaps the leader.

"You said conversion, is that what you're here to do?" Gwen addressed the creatures, who looked at her with an odd kind of amusement.

"This world is…perfect. So many humans to be awakened to a better life."

"How does the conversion work?"

"Would you like to find out?" The creature jumped at her, opening its mouth and exhaling a gas the colour of mud. Luckily, Jack pulled her back not a second too soon, and the gas didn't touch her.

"Get back, everyone," He told the team, before turning to the aliens again, "So the gas is what converts. Thanks for the tip off. But unfortunately, your little plan isn't likely to work out well for you."

"And you are…what is the word…police?" The yellow eyes seemed to mock. Jack was going to answer but someone bet him to it.

"No," Marion said simply, meeting the thing's eyes without a trace of fear, "We're pest control." The creatures snarled and began to advance on the team.

"Great job, Narke, great fucking job!" Rex shouted.

"This was inevitable, Matheson, I just sped up the process."

"There's too many, Jack!" Gwen said, shooting some, but more of them just appeared out of the darkness until they were surrounded by perhaps fifty. Even with Jack's perfect aim and the good work of most of the rest of the team, they were hopelessly outnumbered.

"Fall back! Everyone just run wherever you can," He yelled amidst the shots, and they all took less than three second to obey. Aliya saw Esther had found a clear path out and made to follow, and turned to look for Jenny, but the girl was following Gwen somewhere else and there wasn't time to argue. Eventually they were far enough from the creatures that they stopped. Aliya looked up to see that this particular escape group consisted of herself, Esther and Marion.

"Do you think the others are all together? Do you think they're okay?"

"Trust me, Jenny's fine. She's a kid, but she's a smart kid and a capable kid," Marion said as she reloaded her gun.

"Wow, that was almost comforting," Esther said wryly.

"There's a difference between comforting and preventing later whining," Marion replied before looking back at Aliya. "And I assume I don't need to remind you that your fuck buddy is immortal, therefore must be fine."

"I'm not sleeping with Jack!" Aliya retorted hotly, finally at breaking point with everyone thinking the opposite.

"Wait, you're not?" Esther said, surprised.

Marion just rolled her eyes. "I know you're not, I was just waiting for you to admit it. You guys do have some weird snogging arrangement though."

"What goes on between me and Jack is none of your business," Aliya said. "Just like what goes on between you and Rex is none of mine."

For whatever reason, Marion glared and just started walking down the alley way. "The creatures were spreading out. Let's see if we get find some smaller groups and pick them off one by one."

* * *

**The Torchwood story arc will be continued next chapter, and may contain a shock or two. :P Also expect a really nice little comfort Jack/Esther scene, though why, you'll find out. **

**We're 15 reviews off 1000. Just remember that the 1000th reviewer gets a kiriban (gift fic, content of which to be specified by recipient)!**

**Love you all,**

**-MayFairy :) **

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	59. Wrong Decisions

**One week, as promised! Now the next chapter is already written so depending on how long it takes for me to write the next one will depend when it gets up. But you'll get it no later than in a week's time. :) **

**1000 reviews! Wow, I'm still stunned. And thanks to OptimisticLivvy for being the 1000th reviewer (My two week hols start in a few days so I will start the kiriban then). And thanks so much to the rest of you, I love you all and really appreciate all the feedback and comments. **

**This chapter finishes off the small Torchwood story arc started last chapter and...gets a bit dark. **

* * *

After ten minutes of walking, the three of them came to a halt at the end of the alley. Through the shadows the luminous grey shone, revealing an alien watching them with narrowed, bright eyes. It hissed. Marion and Esther drew their guns, and the former immediately aimed it at their adversary while the American kept it at her side.

"We don't want to kill it if we don't have to," Aliya said quickly, her hand nowhere near her own gun.

"For god's sake, Blondie, now is not the time for your fucking pacifism," Marion snapped.

"It's always the time for pacifism."

"In all fairness, Ali, it is going to try and kill us," Esther said, "But we won't shoot unless it attacks first." The other two nodded, the dark haired doctor somewhat reluctantly.

The creature had meanwhile crept closer. Its mouth curled into a twisted smile and revealed a split tongue and no teeth. "Human…" It hissed, "And extra." It looked at Aliya. "You smell of time."

"As you smell of disease," She answered calmly.

"With which we take humanity and make it ours."

Marion pointed her gun directly at it. "Not if I blow your brains out first."

"Marion," Aliya said warningly.

"You have no authority over me, so shut the hell up."

The forked tongue darted out to wet the creature's lips. The creature smirked. "We are _many_. Killing me will not defeat us or make you safe. How can you hope to stop this, when you fight among yourselves?"

Aliya took a few steps forward and ignored the protests of her co-workers. "What do you want?"

"This world and all of those in it."

"Not going to happen. Now, I'm going to ask nicely."

"Oh for fuck's sake," Marion exclaimed.

The creature laughed. It was a horrid sound that made all three women feel a shiver down their spines, and the two holding guns to grip them tighter. "You remind me of a story I heard. Of a man who would ask nicely. A physician to some but a vengeful warrior to others."

Aliya then laughed too, and Esther shot a confused look at Marion, who merely narrowed her eyes and stood her ground.

"That man is an old friend of mine, and he taught me a lot," Aliya said, and smiled slightly when for the first time, the creature was taken by surprise. "Of course, the Doctor and I are very different."

"You are only one and we are many. We do not _fear_ you."

Forgetting herself, she leaned in closer to it. "Perhaps you should." It reared forward and exhaled the conversion gas into her face. She staggered back while the others cursed and came to her aid.

"You fucking moron," Marion pushed her further away from the creature before firing at it. But it agilely jumped out of the bullet's path and into Esther's. The blonde human had no time to dodge the gas that came at her. With a new determination, Marion shot at the creature again, this time hitting her target. Wounded, it fell to the pavement and looked up at the woman about to fire the lethal shot. But a hand grabbed her arm, and Aliya – back on her feet – nodded towards Esther.

"Help her, let me handle this."

But they were taken aback by the alien's last attempt at taking them down. The gas was aimed at Marion and she backed away instantly though still coughed. Muttering profanities, she went to kneel by Esther and at the same time that Aliya knelt by their creature, keeping his smaller body trapped with her arm.

"You remain yourself. What are you?" It spat.

"Perhaps you've heard the old tales of Gallifrey?"

"Ha! You lie! They are all _dead_! The Doctor is the lone survivor!"

"Not anymore he's not," Aliya said, deadly serious as she eyed him. "My name is Aliyanadevoralundar. I am the Angel, the last true Time Lady of Gallifrey. My world burnt and my people died screaming. They were corrupted from their true potential." She pressed her knee against its chest, making it splutter. "I will _not_ let the same thing happen here. It's true, you're not up against the Doctor. But you _are_ up against his daughter, and you're up against me, and in his absence these humans are under my protection. Now and run along and tell your friends that if they continue in their endeavour, they have two children of Gallifrey to answer to." She stared evenly as she lifted her hand and knee. The creature scampered away, and as soon as it was gone, she felt her gut twist, and she promptly emptied her stomach across the pavement.

"You okay?" Marion asked.

Aliya nodded and winced at the turmoil in her body. "My body can flush the gas out, but it-"

"It hurts like hell and makes you sick?" The dark haired woman guessed, and the Time Lady nodded. Both looked at their co-worker whose skin was ashen and body slightly convulsing. "We've got to help her." For the first time Aliya could recall, Marion sounded anxious.

"The conversion has already started. The only thing we could do is…" Aliya pursed her lips and knelt by the other blonde.

"What?" Marion glared. "Tell me!" Aliya's eyes solemnly lifted to rest on the gun in the co-worker's hand. After a second, the woman's dark eyes flashed. "No."

"She'll come back." It was all but a whisper.

"I'm not killing her."

Aliya's lip curled. "You were all for killing a few minutes ago."

"That was different and you fucking know it!" Marion snarled. "This is Esther, the _one_ decent human being in our team." Her hand was clenched in a fist and she looked like she was going to throw up herself.

"How are _you _okay? I thought it got you-"

"It didn't."

"Are you sure? Because it looked like-"

"I think I would _fucking know_!" Marion snapped, as she lifted her gun and aimed it at Esther's forehead. "You know, I'd make _you_ do this, but you're such a crap shot that she'd only suffer more. But this is your fault." With a hard look in her eyes, she killed Esther with a single shot.

Both of them flinched as the bang resonated in the air and Esther immediately went still. But immediately and somewhat ironically, in death the colour swiftly returned to Esther's cheeks. Both bystanders let out bated breaths.

"Call Jack, tell him what happened, and find out their situation," Marion told Aliya curtly. She went to kneel by the temporarily dead immortal.

Aliya paused, looking back at her. "Are you sure you're alright?" Her eyes went to the other woman's still clenched fist, tense body and hard expression. Dark eyes met indigo and blue-green. For a moment, something flashed through the former that resembled panic – then indecision.

Finally, Marion just sighed and scowled. "Contrary to popular belief, I do actually care about people being hurt and dying. Especially when it's not their fault." She took that opportunity to give a pointed, accusing glare.

Aliya guiltily ducked her head and called Jack. She relayed what had occurred, and Jack's concern for Esther's well being was rather sweet. Once assured that she seemed stable, he then filled them in on his group's side. The other four were all together, and Jenny had apparently found a way into the ship, but couldn't crack the security codes of the ship's computer, even with Gwen's help. They needed Esther.

"She might not be able to-"

Aliya's words faded away as Esther started gasping for air and staring up at the night sky with wide, panicked brown eyes.

"What happened? It got me, it was changing me…then it went dark," She panted, eyes frantically flicking between the other two women.

"I shot you," Marion said flatly. "We knew you would come back, so I killed you to neutralise it."

Esther looked horrified. "You shot me?" She got a nod for an answer. "I don't know if I should be mad at you or thanking you."

"Either way, I don't really care," Marion muttered, and she stood up and merely offered the blonde a hand up. Once Esther was also on her feet, they looked to Aliya.

"They got into the ship, but they need you to get through the security of the ship's computer, Esther, are you up for it?"

Esther nodded. "Let's go."

* * *

When they managed to find the SUV unharmed, the three women drove to the crash site and found Rex and Jack outside the ship, Jenny and Gwen probably inside. The moment they got out, Jack was at Esther's side.

"You okay?"

She seemed taken aback by the concern in his voice. "Yeah, I think so. I mean…I feel okay. I'd forgotten how _dark_ it was."

He gave her shoulder a squeeze. "It gets easier." That made her smile. "Now, are you ready to be amazing?" The smile grew wider.

"For you, Jack, I can try," She said, and the two of them walked into the ship. It was a good time for Aliya to ask a question that had been nagging at her. She touched Marion's arm lightly.

"I don't get it."

Marion just sighed and didn't even bother to look at her. "What?"

"You go on about it being my fault. But she wakes up and you take the blame." Over Marion's shoulder, Aliya saw Esther's head pop back out of the ship door.

"I didn't take the blame. I told the truth, that I shot her."

"But it was my fault."

"She remembers getting gased, she knows it's your fault. I'm not petty enough to bring it up again."

"But-"

"No buts. Regardless of the situation, it doesn't change the fact that I took my gun, put a bullet through her head and killed her stone dead," Marion said harshly, while unknown to her, Esther flinched from where she was eavesdropping.

"It's okay, you know," Esther suddenly said, making Marion jump and spin around. "You knew I would come back."

"Exactly," The doctor replied, almost defensively, "But it's the principle of the thing." With that, she walked off abruptly to strike up a conversation with Rex.

"First she yells at me when I offer her help, and then she kills me to save my life," Esther mused, watching her go, "Sounds like a bad joke, doesn't it?"

Aliya chuckled. "It _is _a bad joke."

"To you, maybe, being a 'Lady of Time' or something." The other blonde gave her a funny smile.

"So you remember that, huh?"

"Hard not to. It was an impressive speech. But it makes sense now. Why you ran off the first time you saw me. Jack said how a Time Lord saw him as an abomination that shouldn't exist. It's the same for me. You can barely look at me, I'm so wrong," Esther said knowingly, and to confirm her words, Aliya's jaw clenched as she briefly looked away.

"It's not your fault." It was the kindest thing she could say that wouldn't be a lie.

"Never said it was."

"Good."

"Jack wants you in here too, by the way, that's why I came out." The two of them went inside the ship. It only took Esther ten minutes to hack into the ship's computer, but during that time, Jenny didn't stop talking.

"You know, I can't decide if that attack before was terrifying or exciting or both!" She said to Aliya with a squeal. "I'm glad you guys are okay though."

"Yeah, good thing no one died," Esther said ironically. There was a moment where she glanced at Jack through the corner of her eye, and Jack let out a laugh that sounded like he had tried to hold it in initially, and Esther soon joined in. The two Gallifreyans and the Welshwoman eyed the two immortals with slight concern.

"Sorry," Jack said, "Inside immortal thing."

"God, it was bad enough when it was just you," Gwen groaned, and he just winked at her.

"But at least these creatures know what they're up against. Aliya gave them quite the speech," Esther said.

"They hurt you, annoyed me, and threatened the planet," Aliya pointed out, "The Doctor makes it very clear how to handle those situations."

"Yeah, you asked them nicely," The American woman said.

"She did?" The other three asked. Jenny sounded confused, Gwen incredulous, and Jack, amused.

"Of course, that didn't work. So then I threatened him," Aliya said with a shrug. "It's the Doctor's second rule. You give them a choice first."

"What's rule number one?" Jenny asked brightly, always curious about her father, especially as his friend had been much less forthcoming about him as of late. Aliya's eyes narrowed and she frowned.

"The Doctor lies."

"He does?"

"Only for a good reason," Jack said, and Aliya snorted and rolled her eyes bitterly. But she didn't comment, because she didn't want to talk badly about him in front of his daughter. "Usually."

"Guys, I'm through!" Esther exclaimed suddenly. "Also, I realised that what the Torchwood scanner probably picked up was biohazards! The gas would be classified as a biohazard."

"Of course," The two Gallifreyans said, realising how obvious it was.

"Nice job," The younger of the two said to Esther with a grin.

"Thanks." Esther smiled, clearly liking the appreciation, and Aliya realised she probably didn't get a lot of it.

"So, anything else helpful in there? Planet of origin?" She asked the woman of the hour, who quickly looked it up.

"…Kalgar?" Esther said slowly, unsure of the pronunciation, but Aliya absently nodded as she ran the name through her very long memory. She had to go back to her Geography class at the Academy, and it had never been her strong point. Isop Galaxy…Kalgar…

"Ringing any bells for anything helpful?" Jack looked at her expectantly, but she had to sigh and shake her head.

"I'm a mechanic…engineering and physics are my thing, not geography," She admitted, "Though you think I would be able to remember _something_."

"There's a lot of planets in the universe, I wouldn't beat yourself over not being able to remember every single one." Esther chuckled at how put out Aliya looked. "There might be something in the computer. Like records of storage for their food, records of the premium conditions of the ship…"

Aliya just stared at her before blinking. "You, Esther Drummond, are amazing. Do it." She glanced up to see Jack smiling at her smugly, as if to say 'the Doctor isn't the only one who picks fantastic people you know'.

A minute or so later Esther had the answers. "Stock records, for what seems to be food." She pointed to the screen and let Aliya and Jack take a look.

"This is all pure vegetation. They don't even have any kind of lactic products," Aliya said as she scanned the text.

"There's a note about hygiene and safety…" Jack noticed. Aliya read it and a flash of information came to the forefront of her memory.

"Acid," She said suddenly, "Their bodies are perfectly neutral, and while they can handle some alkaline, if it goes even a little bit acid…all the commonly eaten plants on Kalgar are exactly neutral or slightly alkaline, but some other plants are acidic – just like you have things like poison ivy or plants you can't eat."

"So if we give them acid, it will unbalance their systems? What will happen?" Jack asked.

"I can't remember exactly, they're not Slitheen, they won't explode. Fairly sure that it is lethal to them though." Aliya sighed.

"Do we want to kill them?"

"Jenny, it's not about whether we want to. It's about whether we have to," Aliya said solemnly, "But we don't want to if we don't have to."

"But you did give them their chance," Jack reminded her.

"I don't play by his rules entirely. I have my own. I say we give them one more chance. Last time was a warning. This time is a threat."

"We'll try it," Jack said, and she could tell that he did want to employ her plan of action, to do something the Doctor would approve of...but she knew that Torchwood didn't often work like that. "But if they don't leave, we don't have another choice, Ali. We won't let them hurt anyone else."

"I know."

"I'll get Marion and Rex to commandeer some large acid stock from somewhere nearby." He left the ship, leaving Aliya frowning.

"Commandeer? From where?"

Esther just rolled her eyes. "Apparently, since we're 'special ops' we can just barge into almost any facility and take whatever we need."

"That's ridiculous."

"I know."

"Helpful, though," Jenny chirped, and the other two blondes had to agree.

* * *

Jack and the three blondes waited in the agreed midtown location, waiting for both their acid, and the creatures which they now knew were Kalgarians.

"Humans..." A nearby voice snarled, "And two children of Gallifrey." It looked at Jenny and Aliya as dozens of the aliens emerged from the shadows.

"Crap," Jack said, "Marion and Rex better hurry up. All of you, guns out and up."

Esther and Jenny complied effortlessly, while Aliya fumbled with hers and held it reluctantly at her side.

"You received a warning of what would happen if you didn't leave this planet in peace. You didn't listen," Jack told the Kalgarians, who almost seemed to be rolling their eyes at him, "Now we're telling you that we know your weakness. Leave now, or we'll kill every last one of you, don't think we won't or can't."

"You say this Doctor is your friend...what would he think of your part in our genocide?" The creature that spoke was the one who Aliya had warned, and he was speaking to her. His words made Aliya's blood run cold, and the others tensed too.

"Genocide?" Aliya repeated sharply, pushing to the front. "You are invaders and conquerors, there is no way you are the only Kalgarians left."

"Our planet was ravaged in the Time War," The leader said, "Only three ships escaped to safety. We attempted to convert a nearby planet. Conversion failed. We are all that remains."

Aliya gripped Jack's arm. "Jack, murder in self-defence is bad enough, but _genocide_-"

"What else have you got?" He demanded, clearly not happy with the idea but out of options.

"Anything but this!" She cried desperately. "They might be awful predators but they were forced into it because of a war that _my_ people started. And they're the last ones left."

"You and the Doctor didn't invade planets when you lost yours!"

"It's because of the TARDIS! And he had Earth when he had nothing else. Now I do too."

"They want to kill everyone on the planet!" Esther said.

Aliya tried to kept down the hysteria threatening to rise within her. Beside her, Jenny grabbed her hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. "Look. Use the acid if you have to. To scare them and make them realise what we could do. But don't kill them all."

"You bicker among yourself yet again," The Kalgarian said, "You think so highly of yourself, Time Lord, but you are a coward. You are afraid to act even to protect yourself and those you claim to watch over."

"I am the Angel of Gallifrey. Angel in our tongue is protector. Guardian. That promise is to protect everyone. Not just these humans. I wouldn't be truly living that promise if I chose merely one group to protect." It was strange because months before she had not believed that she was able to live up to the promise. But now, the Doctor's words came back to her and it struck her that it was exactly what she believed it, and what she wanted to be. To protect those she loved, to protect the innocent. And even to protect those who were not innocent.

"Aliya, this isn't your call," Jack said quietly but firmly. "We might be able to try it but I'm not promising anything."

"Then I want no part in this," She whispered. The creatures all grinned and began to advance.

"Good thing we can take care of it, then," Rex's voice made them all jump as he and Marion came into sight. They held large metallic weapons and pointed them directly at the creatures around them.

"Are those the 43rd century water guns that came through the rift five months back?" Jack asked, and Marion nodded.

"Filled with hydrochloric acid," She said, and pressed on the trigger. The acid shot out in a powerful stream that hit at least three Kalgarians directly. They screamed and immediately keeled over.

Rex smiled and began to do the same, taking down and driving away the creatures.

"Stop, that's enough!" Aliya yelled as she watched a few dozen fall under the onslaught. Even though there had been about two hundred present, those who remained had a definite wariness to them as they watched their kindred die at the hands of the two humans.

"Marion, maybe just hold it," Jenny said as she eyed the aliens.

"Just see what they do, guys," Jack agreed. Rex was too far away to hear, but Marion obviously did, because she took the time to very deliberately blast the ones nearest to her in defiance. Rex meanwhile seemed to be on a determined mission to take them all down with a typical American ferocity.

The creatures backed away, looking to Jack and Aliya. "Humans are supposed to be weak," The leader hissed. Jack grimly took the revolver in his hand and shot the thing dead in one shot.

"Jack!"

"Aliya, without a leader they lose the pack mentality."

"We will leave!" A few of them screeched. They had huddled into the corner of the alley wall, the tiny bodies pressing together until the remaining fifty or so only took up a few square metres. "But you lie, Time Lord! Like all the others!"

"No," Aliya whispered.

Marion and Rex approached them, but so did the others.

"That's enough," Jack said, but Marion shook her head.

"They got their warning." The spray of acid that came out of her gun coated all of the creatures and they let out cries of anguish before their clump collapsed in on itself. Jenny and Aliya simultaneously gasped and the latter let out a sob as they watched the last of the Kalgarians die right in front of them.

"Marion!" Jack barked. He took the weapon from her hands and she stared resolutely back at him with a blank expression. "That was an order!"

"We could have taught them to be different," Aliya said to Marion with a lump in her throat and fury in her hearts, "You just committed genocide, youfoul,_ heartless_, selfish_ ape_!" The woman didn't even blink.

"They were going to leave," Jenny said in a tiny voice, and Esther gave her a small side hug around the shoulders, looking similarly disturbed.

"Marion Narke, you are suspended from duty for four weeks," Jack said harshly, "Affective tomorrow. Rex, probation period for one week, also affective tomorrow."

"Fine," Marion said coolly.

"And you and Rex get to take care of all the bodies that you made."

"Fine."

"Can we go home now?" Jenny said to Aliya quietly, in a voice that made her sound like the three-year old she truly was. She eyed Marion with something that resembled fear.

Marion looked around at how Aliya, Jenny and Esther were staring at her. The dark haired woman scowled at the three blondes, straightened her back and walked to the SUV with her head held high.

"There's things to take care of at the Hub. But you can go now if you want."

"I might," Jenny nodded.

"Are you okay?" Aliya asked suddenly, wiping tears from her own eyes to look at the girl.

"I think so," She inclined her head in another nod, "But Dad said there's always a choice. She had a choice."

"She chose wrong," Aliya said flatly, trying to not let her anger consume her. "We'll drop you on the corner on the way back. I'll be there later."

* * *

Back at Torchwood, Aliya was sitting dejectedly in her seat at her desk. She couldn't concentrate. All she could think of was how the creatures said they would leave.

_You lie, Time Lord! Like all the others! _

The Time Lords had liked lying. To be compared to them…it didn't sit well. After all, the Time Lords had told the Doctor that his companion Peri had been killed, only to then later claim she was actually alive and married to a man she and the Doctor had met on their last adventure.

She had used that against the Doctor in their fight. She had always hated how he had been too cowardly to find out which was the truth.

"I didn't lie," She said to herself weakly, not that it made any difference.

"Ali, can you take these back to storage?" Jack came into the room, holding out the two futuristic weapons which had caused a genocide despite having been created for recreational activity.

Instinctively, she recoiled, and he gave her a look. She sighed and reached out to take them. It was best to just not think about what had happened. As she got to the storage cupboard where they belonged, she pushed the door open and nearly dropped the water guns.

Inside, against the back wall, were Rex and Marion, half clothed and –

Aliya abruptly threw the water guns on the floor and retreated, slamming the door behind her, cheeks fiercely red with both embarrassment and anger. Bloody humans, shagging in the workplace after an entire race just died…and they had been the ones to cause it! Also, she knew that Marion had seen her too, fleetingly, over Rex's shoulder. All the more reason to just put it out of her mind. Even if Marion was likely to either make a joke of it later or yell at her for invading her privacy.

When the two of them had returned to Torchwood, Aliya had immediately tried to have another go at Marion, unable to keep it all in.

"_How can you walk in here like that knowing what you just did?"_

"_I did what was necessary!" Marion snarled. "Do not try to fucking lecture me, you would have let us die at their hands if you'd had your bloody way!" Her eyes were hard, and her hands clenched. _

"_How is that necessary?!" Aliya looked at her with wide, searching eyes filled with disgust. "What is wrong with you? How the hell did you get like this?" _

"_Not everyone gets to grow up on a fancy planet and spend god knows how long learning how to be a self-righteous ponce." _

For just one second, it looked like the woman had felt slight remorse for what she had done. But then it had been gone, and Aliya wondered if perhaps she had imagined it.

The Time Lady made straight for Jack's office, stormed inside and pulled him into a forceful kiss without a word of greeting. Being Jack, he went along with it and yanked her in closer. That was the great thing about Jack. He understood perfectly without words. He understood how _angry _and _horrified _and _helpless_ she felt, and how she just wanted some way to show that. So he let her, and in return he was able to pour his own feelings – which were much the same – back into her as he pressed her roughly against the back of his desk and cupped her rear.

After lord knew how many minutes of roaming hands and crushing lips, they broke apart and Jack held Aliya tightly against his chest as her entire body shook with indignant rage and devastation.

"You should go home to Jenny. She probably needs you as much as you need her right now," He said to her, and she nodded. A few second later he released her and she made for the door, straightening her clothes before looking back at him.

"Jack-"

Somehow he knew that she had been able to thank him, because he just said, "No problem."

She just smiled and was glad to think that maybe that time, she had helped him too.

* * *

Not long after Aliya left, Jack heard someone else come into the room. He looked up to see Esther hovering in his doorway, looking unsure as to whether she was allowed there.

"Hey," He said gently.

"Hey." She smiled and entered the room with a new confidence.

It was interesting, because they still weren't what most people would call close. They didn't really see each other outside of work or anything. Friends, yes, but not best friends by any measure. But there was a definitely connection, because somehow they had become kindred souls. They were the only two people in the universe who were the way they were.

Maybe that was it. Maybe it was the same reason that Aliya and the Doctor still had such a connection too. Maybe everyone really just wanted someone who could truly understand and emphasise, no explanation needed.

He knew that was what drew him to Esther. In all fairness, he knew that Aliya's love for the Doctor went much deeper, as it had first grown back when that part of the relationship hadn't existed.

He and Esther were the opposite. It was in their one similarity that they had begun to find something rather special. Back during the Miracle, he had noticed immediately how much she cared, how much she fought and wanted to be useful. She had reminded him of Rose quite a bit, actually. But now, she was her own amazing person and was becoming more incredible every day – today had proven as much.

But today she had died, only for the second time. And he knew immediately that her second death was why she had come to see him.

"How're you holding up?" He asked, and she just sat down on the edge of his conference table and gave him a half smile.

"I _died_ today," She said, emphasising how obscene the notion was.

Jack just nodded. "And then you came back."

"It was so dark," Esther said, echoing her own words from earlier. He understood perfectly. The first few times he had come back, the darkness had haunted him so much that he had barely slept. "Does it – does it mean that after life, there's just nothing?"

"I don't know. Maybe we're just not allowed to see it," Jack said truthfully.

"I always thought that death seemed terrifying. But then the Miracle happened. Then _this _happened. Now the thought of _not_ dying is terrifying," The blonde said, looking at him anxiously. "Does it ever bother you?"

He nodded. It wasn't something he had admitted to anyone else – no, he had, once, to Ianto – but with Esther there was no point lying. "For me, the worst part was the Doctor. God I loved that man!" He smiled for a moment. "And suddenly there he was again, and he couldn't even look me in the eye without practically flinching."

"What about Aliya?"

He shrugged. "I didn't know her at the time. It didn't bother me. It was kind of funny, actually. She physically had to cover her eyes and turn away from me." He chuckled at the memory.

Esther raised an eyebrow incredulously. "Huh. Then again, she did run out the room when she saw me."

Jack couldn't really tell the real reason as to why the Time Lady had done that, so he kept quiet and just shrugged again. "It wasn't anything personal. She was flirting with me within ten minutes, though, so clearly you're just not as hot as me." He winked and she just rolled her eyes and laughed.

"You're so full of it!"

* * *

Aliya crept into her and Jenny's apartment, and went into her bedroom to find the girl lying on Aliya's – specially ordered – circular bed, curled up with a book.

"Hey," Jenny said, smiling at her warmly.

"Hello," Aliya replied, "Can I ask why you're in my bed?"

"I was just wondering if I could sleep in here tonight, with you? Family does that sometimes, right?" The generated anomaly looked anxious, and Aliya just nodded.

"Of course you can. Anna used to do it all the time," She said as she went to her drawers and pulled out some pyjamas. She got changed behind the door.

"That was your adopted daughter you mentioned, right?"

"Yeah," Aliya said, getting into the other side of the bed, "She was the only person my third incarnation liked. No exaggeration. She was…three when I took her in, I think."

"Well, I'm three too, so it works," Jenny said, grinning, and Aliya just rolled her eyes.

"Yes, you are," She said reluctantly. "And yet you seem to be dealing with this whole thing better than I am." She flicked the light off so that just the night light remained.

"I don't know. I saw a lot of awful things before I came to Earth. And I was born to fight a war. Genocide was sort of my purpose, at least at first. It's awful, but they were going to commit genocide too."

"I just – I'm not cut out for all this. It's worse than being with the Doctor. At least with him I knew that he will make the right call. And with him…I felt safe." The last part came out as a whisper.

"Well, maybe you just need a break. Didn't that Sarah Jane woman you mentioned offer for you to come stay with her?"

Aliya was surprised at how easily she had forgotten about Sarah Jane's offer. Now that she thought about it, it did sound rather perfect. She just didn't think she could take another week at Torchwood, not right away. She turned over to look at Jenny.

"Would you mind if I _did_ go to see her for a while?" She asked. "It might be a good idea. And it would be nice to see how they all are."

"Yeah, I can manage here on my own," Jenny said, nodding, "You go for as long as you want."

"I can call you from there, too," Aliya said quickly.

"Sounds good."

"Okay, I'll give her a call tomorrow. Maybe I'd be more helpful at Bannerman Road."

* * *

**Yes, this was the plan from the beginning hehe :P**

**And if you didn't hate Marion before, I imagine you all do now...can't be helped, unfortunately. **

**But if the next chapter is at Bannerman Road, then guess who's in the next chapter? SKY SMITH *excited dance of happiness* ACTUAL MOST ADORABLE CREATURE IN THE UNIVERSE (the next chapter may or may not have more emphasis on Sky than it should, but she's so perfect and her and Sarah Jane give me all these warm fuzzies)! Which means yes, over the course of this story, the SJA team have gone from Death of the Doctor to past the end of Series 5/the series itself. *cries because Elisabeth Sladen* **

**I love feedback and criticism to help me improve so do please leave a review! **

**Much love, **

**MayFairy :)**


	60. Change in Scenery

**One week as promised! Next chapter is ALMOST written but I have a very busy week ahead (I have to do enough hours of piano practice to work a miracle before Thursday or I'm getting pulled from my exam). Should be fine for another weekly update though!**

**1000 reviews! *kisses everyone* You guys are actually just amazing. I couldn't have done it without your support. Never thought I would get this far! Thank you to everyone who reviewed at any point, and thank you even to those who just silently read, follow and favourite (though I would really love to hear some of your comments)! **

**This chapter is a bit sad...but SKY SMITH so who cares? Plus, a surprise appearance from someone you probably weren't expecting, in a scene I'm taking some creative timey wimey license with...because I can hehe. :P Enjoy!**

* * *

I came in like a wrecking ball  
I never hit so hard in love  
All I wanted was to break your walls  
All you ever did was wreck me  
Yeah, you, you wreck me

I put you high up in the sky  
And now, you're not coming down  
It slowly turned, you let me burn  
And now, we're ashes on the ground

I never meant to start a war  
I just wanted you to let me in  
And instead of using force  
I guess I should've let you win  
I never meant to start a war  
I just wanted you to let me in  
I guess I should've let you win

Don't you ever say I just walked away  
I will always want you  
I can't live a lie, running for my life  
I will always want you

**Wrecking Ball – Miley Cyrus**

* * *

In a large house on Bannerman Rd, Sarah Jane Smith was busy arguing with her adopted daughter Sky about why she couldn't have a robotic cat from the future.

"But Luke gets to have K-9," The twelve year old said, "And now we don't have him. If we had a robotic cat that was sort of the same, then he might come in handy, only he'd be smaller."

"K-9 is from centuries in the future, I wouldn't know where to find a robotic cat even if I decided we should get one," Sarah Jane said, "Now eat your cereal or you'll be late for school."

Sky sighed and did as she was told. It had only been a few months since the girl had been left on Sarah Jane's doorstep as a baby, only for her to be revealed as a Fleshkind bomb supposed to end a war in a nebula on the other side of the universe. She'd reached the age of twelve instantly right in front of Sarah Jane's eyes, and was still experiencing the world in new ways every day. But she loved learning, which meant that she loved school, unlike most children her age.

Just then, the phone rang. Sarah Jane, keeping her eye on her daughter, answered it. "Hello?"

"_Sarah Jane?" _The female voice on the other end was familiar, but Sarah Jane couldn't quite place it.

"Yes, who is this?"

"_Oh thank the stars for that! Do you know that your phonebooks are very difficult to navigate? This is the fifth number I tried."_

The personal pronoun used as well as her exclamation gave Sarah Jane an idea as to who she was talking to. "Aliya, is that you?"

"_Yes, it is," _Aliya said, sounding pleased.

"Do you have phonebooks in the TARDIS?"

"What's a TARDIS?" Sky asked, looking up with interest, and Sarah Jane had to signal for her to just wait a moment.

There was a pause on Aliya's end. _"I don't know. This one is the Torchwood copy." _

"You're at Torchwood?"

"What's Torchwood?" Sarah Jane again had to hold up her hand. It wasn't Sky's fault, she was anxious to learn about everyone and everything.

"_Yes. But then I remembered about that offer you made me. I was just calling to wonder if it was still on the table. This place has too many guns, among…other things."_

In all fairness, Sarah Jane had made the offer before Sky had come into the picture. It was an offer she felt like everyone who travelled with the Doctor should have, which is why she had offered it to Rose, and then later, Aliya. She knew that _she _certainly wished that there had been someone with her after she'd been dumped in Aberdeen.

Due to being back to being a mother, her first instinct was to find a way to retract the offer. But then she stopped to think about it. Aliya would be a good influence on Sky. The girl was close enough to human in all the ways that mattered, but it couldn't hurt for her to meet someone who was from another world, though having her brother Luke be from a similar background had been helpful to Sky, she knew.

Also, there was an odd quality to Aliya's voice. She sounded almost wistful, and sad. In her heart, Sarah Jane immediately had her answer.

"Yes, it is."

"_Thank you," _The Time Lady said, and the relief and gratitude in her voice told Sarah Jane that she had definitely made the right call. _"I can make my own way there from Cardiff, so just tell me when I can head up_."

"As soon as you'd like, you could arrive today if you wanted," Sarah Jane smiled even though the other woman couldn't see it.

"_How about tomorrow?" _Aliya asked.

"Tomorrow sounds perfect. But…" Sarah Jane hesitated. "I'm assuming that if you're calling me, the Doctor isn't with you."

"…_no, he isn't." _The way her voice became flat said far more than her words did.

"I thought as much," The human woman didn't know exactly what had happened, but she could guess the outcome, at least, "We can talk about it when you get here. Over lots of tea."

That made Aliya laugh. _"Okay. Thank you, Sarah Jane. Really." _

"I'll see you tomorrow." Sarah Jane hung up.

"Sarah Jane, who was that on the phone?" Sky asked as she packed her schoolbag on the kitchen table, having finished her food.

"That was a…" Sarah Jane stopped herself from saying the word friend, because it wasn't true. "An old acquaintance of mine."

"What's an acquaintance?"

"It's…a person you know, who you don't know well enough to call your friend. But sometimes you have acquaintances that you like a lot, and think will be your friend if you spend more time with them," Sarah Jane explained.

"So who was that person?"

"Well, you remember how one time I mentioned that friend of mine that I travelled with?"

Sky's eyes lit up. "The alien one?"

"Yes. Well, this woman is a friend of his, and that's how we met. She's an alien too. And she's coming to stay with us for a while," Sarah Jane said, and she began directing Sky to the door.

"In our house?"

"Yes, is that okay?"

Sky beamed. "Of course! I've never met a real proper friendly alien before! What's her name? Is she nice?"

Sarah Jane smiled fondly at her daughter being as carefree and amiable as ever. "Her name is Aliya. And yes, she's very nice."

* * *

Aliyanadevoralundar put down the phone and let out a laugh of giddy relief. Jenny, who was sitting next to her, grinned because the outcome of the phone call was obvious.

"Well, thank goodness for that," The girl said, "So, are you leaving tomorrow?"

"It seems so," Aliya said, smiling a little at the thought, "I can just hire a cab, can't I?"

"I think so." Jenny shrugged. "It's a long way but you can afford it. I'll miss you though."

Aliya looked at her and gave the girl's hand an apologetic squeeze. "I'll miss you too. But it's not like I'm going forever. And this was your idea."

"I know. Are you going to tell Jack now?"

Aliya replied in the affirmative and bid her friend goodbye so that she could go to Jack's office and knock on the door. When he told her to come in, she smiled somewhat unsurely as him at she sat on the edge of his table – her usual seat in his office.

"You look better," He commented, referring to how the incident with the Kalgarians had shaken her up.

"Thanks," She said, "Jack, can I have some time off?"

"What for?"

"I want to go and see Sarah Jane for a while."

Jack lifted an eyebrow. "Never realised you two were close."

"We're not." Aliya shrugged. "But she offered. And I need a change of scenery." She did enjoy the apartment she shared with Jenny, particularly her bedroom, but the rest of it, the day to day routine that was so similar, the same horizon, the same sunset, the same sunrise…it was driving her mad. How had she ever managed domestic life on Gallifrey?

Jack seemed to understand better than she expected him to. "Okay, sure. Jenny know about this?"

"It was her idea. She's young, but she isn't so much the child some of us like to think of her as. She's mature enough to live independently."

"Do you want me to book you a cab?"

Aliya grinned and nodded. "Yes please. I'm really not very good with phonebooks, it would seem."

"When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow."

His eyes widened in surprise. "Wow, you move fast."

"You know I do," The blonde said, grinning flirtatiously, and with appreciation, he chuckled.

* * *

As the cab pulled into Bannerman Road, Aliya smiled to herself, already feeling better for being somewhere new. Jenny had given her a long and very enjoyable hug as a goodbye, and Jack had taken the chance to steal a brief kiss because that was just how the two of them seemed to do greetings and farewells, according to Jack.

When the cab reached number 13, she got out and thanked the cab driver. Then she swung her backpack onto her back and hopped out. The cab was already paid for. She walked up to the door and knocked. Only a few seconds later, the door swung open to reveal a child. She looked about twelve, but was sandy haired and adorable.

The girl stared. "Are you Aliya?"

"Yes," Aliya said, a little perplexed, "Who are you?"

"I'm Sky Smith," She said, beaming, and called over her shoulder. "Sarah Jane, your acquaintance is here!" As Aliya considered both the girl's name and her slightly odd use of the word acquaintance, Sarah Jane came to the door and put her arm around the girl's shoulders.

"Aliya, nice to see you again," The human woman said, smiling warmly, "Come in."

"Thank you." Aliya followed the two of them inside. "So…correct me if I'm wrong, but Sky…wasn't at Bannerman Road when I was here before."

"When were you at Bannerman Road before?" Sky asked. "I've been here for about three months."

"I adopted Sky," Sarah Jane explained, smiling at the girl, "She was left on my doorstep as a baby. But when all the electricity in the street went out when she cried…I realised that she was more special than I originally thought."

"I was a bomb," Sky put in brightly, and when Aliya looked at her with alarm, Sarah Jane was quick to explain.

"She was created to end a war on the other side of the universe…but it all worked out in the end. Now she's my daughter. But she still has a few tricks up her sleeve."

Sky laughed, and abruptly the television in the lounge flickered on and off. "See?" She looked at Aliya, who was rather astonished, while Sarah Jane shook her head.

"You did that on purpose," She said to her daughter, who just grinned mischievously. "Just be careful, please."

Sky nodded and eyed Aliya with interest. "Sarah Jane said that you're an alien too. Do you have special powers?"

Special powers? The term was so odd. She supposed regeneration counted. And her time sense. But to her, they were just natural things. "Nothing as exciting as being able to play with electricity. But I have a very strong mind."

"Well, that's very good though, isn't it?" Sky sat down at the dining table, and took a biscuit off of a plate to nibble on. Just then, there was more knocking at the door, but it swung open immediately. Ten seconds later, Clyde and Rani walked into the kitchen.

"Sky said you were coming over," Rani said.

"Did she?" Sarah Jane glanced at her daughter, who frowned.

"Was I not supposed to? All I said was that Sarah Jane had an acquaintance coming to stay, who was an alien," The girl said, completely and sincerely innocent.

"It wasn't hard to work out who she meant." Clyde grinned at Aliya. "Why you back on Earth then? Is the Doctor around?"

"No, just me," Aliya said, shaking her head, "And I was already on Earth. But I was in Cardiff. With Jack, at Torchwood. You remember Jack from the wedding?"

"Course we do, he was the one snogging you with his hand up your-_ow!_" Clyde complained when Rani elbowed him in the ribs, hard. Meanwhile, Aliya went very red when Sarah Jane lifted an eyebrow at her, and so the Time Lady shifted her gaze to the floor.

"What's snogging?" Sky asked, and the others looked at her awkwardly.

"It's kissing, like people do in films," Rani said cautiously, "You know, like princes and princesses when they get married."

"Oh. It looks strange. Will I have to kiss someone one day?"

"Not if you don't want to," Aliya said, chuckling. Sky looked relieved and everyone else just laughed.

* * *

When it was later, and Clyde and Rani had headed home, and Sky was in her room doing homework, Sarah Jane and Aliya sat down in the lounge with tea.

"So…" The former began as she shut the curtains and got the fire going, "I think this is where you tell me what happened."

"How can you be sure that anything happened?" Aliya said, avoiding the topic and looking pointedly at her tea, which didn't have enough sugar in it for her taste.

"Well, maybe nothing did. Maybe you're just here because you got bored of travelling with a married couple, which would be very reasonable." Sarah Jane shrugged.

"Married couple?" Aliya repeated, not really thinking, just frowning without comprehension until it hit her. "Oh." Her hearts panged at the thought of River Song. She missed River so much. River had been...well, perfect in almost every way. Not just for the Doctor, but as a friend. The grief must have shown on her face because Sarah Jane's fell.

"What? What happened?"

"I just – I forgot. You don't know…none of you know," Aliya could feel tears gathering at the corners of her eyes already. The Doctor wasn't the only one who couldn't let go of Professor River Song.

"Know what? Is the Doctor okay?" Sarah Jane asked worriedly, and the other woman nodded.

"He is. But River – she's gone, Sarah Jane," She whispered, wiping at one of her eyes hastily. "It's been maybe two years since then. For me."

"Oh my god," Sarah Jane said, hand flying to her mouth, sadness immediately filling her eyes face, "I'm so sorry. How is he?"

"It's been seven years for him. And when I last saw him, he still wasn't doing too well. But he came a long way in the two years I was with him after."

"What about the other five?"

"Those were before he came back for me. After she died, he went for five years on his own."

"Then why are you here? It sounds like he needs you now more than ever," Sarah Jane said, frowning, and that made Aliya sip her tea instead of answer. The blonde stirred it with her finger, deliberately delaying.

"He doesn't need me. He made that very clear," She finally said, and couldn't help the bitterness that crept into her voice.

"How do you mean?" Sarah Jane asked slowly.

"I mean that I'm on Earth because he told me to leave."

"That doesn't sound like him at all."

"I believe his exact words were, _get out of my TARDIS, I don't even want to look at you anymore_," Aliya quoted mildly, pinching the bridge of her nose and shutting her eyes as she recalled all the things he had yelled at her.

"Well, did you – did you do something you shouldn't have?" Sarah Jane asked. "If he said _that_, for that much to have changed-"

"It was the inevitable end to a very long, very brutal, and very damaging fight," The blonde said quietly, sighing and trying to ignore how the memories were stabbing at her hearts.

"A fight?"

"Well, we didn't hit each other, but calling it an argument doesn't really cover it." Aliya shrugged, then paused. "Actually, I did hit him. Once." She put her head in her hands. "It blew all of the others out of the water."

"The others?" Sarah Jane looked both perplexed and concerned.

"We used to have very heated arguments a lot, it wasn't unusual," Aliya admitted, "This one was a long time coming. I just didn't think it would end like _this_." Her hands shook. "Stars, I am still so _angry_. It's been weeks, and it still makes me physically shake." Her brow furrowed. "I hope he is as hurt as I am."

"And how hurt are you?"

When Aliya looked up, her eyes were wet. "Sarah Jane, you have no idea the things we said. When you've known someone for practically your whole life, it's very easy to know exactly how to hurt them. And when the Doctor and I fight, that's all we want to do. I said things to him that I knew were the very things that give him nightmares and the things that he still feels guilt for every day. And he said things that he knew would tear me apart from the inside."

Sarah Jane moved to sit next to her and take her hand. "How did it start? The fight, if it was so bad, something must have sparked it."

Aliya let out a sob, that sounded half like a laugh. "I _kissed_ him. Because he was too close, and we'd just escaped from Daleks, and I was too relieved to think rationally."

"You kissed him?" When she didn't get an answer, she let out a breath. "Are you in love with him?" The other woman sounded surprised. Aliya just nodded. "Oh."

"I know I shouldn't have, I didn't mean to, I wish I hadn't," The Time Lady said desperately, "But he got too close and I did because I'm a selfish idiot."

"It's not unusual, you know."

"Oh, I do, Jack enlightened me. Because he's used to it, right? After all, everyone who travels with him falls in love with him!" She threw her hands up in exasperation. "But no, the moment I do, he can't deal with it, and this happens."

"He touches a lot of hearts," Sarah Jane said softly, "Lord knows he left a mark on mine." That made Aliya go very quiet very quickly, and the two of them held an understanding gaze for at least ten seconds. "But I knew there could be nothing between us. I was human. He walked in eternity. And sure enough, eventually the Time Lords called him and he dropped me at home."

"Did you ever just feel so angry with him that you don't know how you haven't exploded?"

Sarah Jane had to laugh, just for a second, before she smiled sadly. "No, thankfully not."

"You're lucky. Because it really conflicts with the fact that despite that…he was my best friend and I just miss him so much," Aliya said wistfully. That was when Sarah Jane hugged her tightly.

"Now that part I do understand. I did nearly forty years ago, and still do now." The human said, rubbing the Time Lady's back. After a minute or so, the latter sniffed and pulled away.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to blurt this all out, it's Jack's job to listen to all of my problems…you don't even really know me." She got up off of the couch. "I should just go, you were probably never expecting to have to go through with that offer anyway, and you definitely don't deserve an emotionally unstable Time Lord in your house saying awful things about the Time Lord who you care about. This is why I didn't come here first. Because you're his. You're his Sarah Jane and I shouldn't be telling you all this because I don't have a right-" She turned to leave the room, only to see Sky standing in the doorway.

"Don't leave," The girl said, frowning, and Aliya wiped at her tear filled eyes.

Sarah Jane frowned. "Sky, how long have you-"

"It's okay, Sarah Jane," Sky said simply as she looked at Aliya. "I didn't understand a lot of what you said. But I know that the Doctor said mean things and made you very mad and very sad. And now you miss him. But you don't need to say sorry. You're allowed to be mad. And you're allowed to be sad." Just as Aliya's stricken gaze shifted from the child to Sarah Jane, Sky approached her and hugged her around the middle. "I can help you cry, if you like."

"Help me cry?" Aliya repeated. Her arms did not move to hug the girl back. "How?"

"Well, I can hug you until it feels better. Or you can cry while I hold your hand and give you biscuits," Sky said, as if it were the simplest thing in the world.

With that, Aliya hugged the child to her tightly, staring down at her and then at Sarah Jane with utter amazement. When the tears fell freely again, Sky just took her hand, led her to the kitchen, and the two of them ate biscuits while Sarah Jane sat nearby with her tea, just watching her daughter be astounding.

By the end, Aliya's eyes had dried up, and Sky had her laughing.

* * *

A few weeks after lunch at the Pond's, the Doctor found himself wandering the TARDIS. The inevitable feeling of loneliness was back. He just wanted to hear someone else's voice, someone else's laugh. Someone who was a friend, a companion.

When he again focused on his surroundings. He was standing in front of a door. Gallifreyan circles were carved into the wood, and underneath was the English 'Aliya'. A stab of pain and hurt hit him in the hearts. Nonetheless, he pushed the door open.

The room was as she had left it. Round, cosy and a little messy. There were clothes on the floor and her desk was even more cluttered than he remembered. On it was a journal. He approached it and touched the cover lightly. He'd never realised she kept one. Suddenly, like with River's diary, the urge to open it and read the contents was overwhelming.

But the Doctor held back. He knew he had no right to look inside, no matter how angry he was. That was when he spotted the jar containing Aliya's original right hand. She'd left it behind, oddly enough. One would think that she would want to take something which could allow her to postpone regeneration. Unless she had left it behind accidentally?

The image of her walking out of the TARDIS into the pouring rain flashed across his thoughts. And he could still hear the hammering of her fists on the panels as the ship dematerialised. Where was she? How long was she in that rain for? He imagined her drenched to the bone, cold and shivering. He'd seen her come out of the swimming pool - it wasn't difficult to imagine.

But suddenly it was there, crystal clear. Aliya on a bench in an empty street as the rain poured down relentlessly on her from a dismal dark sky. Only it wasn't Aliya, that had been a human, that one called Parker, Ali Parker...oh.

Of course.

The memories flooded back and he remembered it all, how so soon after Donna had declined his offer to travel with him, how he'd ended up in Cardiff and found a young woman crying.

_"My best friend…I did something that I shouldn't have and he kicked me out. And now I have nowhere to go and no one to turn to. He was all I had and my selfish mistake got him angry. He's hurting and for a second I forgot that."_

_"Was it a mistake that put either of you in danger?"_

_"No, but-"_

_"Then it sounds as though your friend needed to be more understanding."_

_"It wasn't his fault. It was mine. I overstepped a line." _

He didn't know how to feel about his revelation. That was what he had reduced her to. A woman so desperate that she needed the help of a 'random stranger', though he imagined she would have known who he was. But the irony that he had asked her to travel with him!

Ali Parker had immediately struck something in him. He had never been sure what. But even in the height of her sadness, she had somehow given off a light. He had been drawn to it, and so against his better judgement, asked her to come away with him. He had been lonely, and she seemed as potentially good companion material than anyone else. If he could turn Tegan into a decent companion, it definitely wasn't impossible.

But that meant that Aliya was in Cardiff. With Jack. Not alone stranded on some desolate plane. As much as he tried to tell himself he didn't care, he was glad to know that she was safe.

With a slightly lighter pair of hearts, he left the room and turned off the light.

* * *

Almost before he even entered the bar, the Doctor almost changed his mind. He didn't hang out in bars. Sure, his ninth self had gone to a few with Rose, but never really by himself. Bars and pubs were for lonely humans who valued alcohol more than legitimate pastimes. And he was certainly not human, and he did not care for alcohol greatly.

But he was so bored. He had tried everything else. He'd gone bungee jumping in New Zealand and gone for a hot air balloon ride in 1910. He'd come second in a dance competition on Metabilus III and stopped some space pirates from hijacking the Orient Express. Again. At least they no longer had the help of that Egyptian goddess.

And now he was here. To study humanoid interaction in the height of his boredom.

The Doctor sat at the bar and ordered a brightly coloured juice with no alcohol in it. As he sipped at the bendy straw, he watched the various humanoids and humans around the bar. It was the 34th century on a popular vacation planet. It was also a popular destination for backpackers. There was a lot of variation, but humans - or humanoids who appeared human - still dominated the mix.

Most of the people present were moving in couples. The amount of flirting, kissing and suggestive glances was rather ridiculous, in his opinion. Perhaps it was that he didn't have River by his side. In the course of their many outings they had ended up in a few very similar places. And she had made it interesting of course. Because with her, he was suddenly a part of a couple just like so many of the people. And flirting with River had certainly been one of his favourite pastimes.

In short, he just missed River Song a lot. So much that it just constantly hurt, and ached in a place he couldn't mend. And if she were here, he wouldn't be feeling so lost.

Abruptly, he became aware of someone on the other side of the bar watching him intently. He frowned, and having realised that he had noticed her staring, the woman got up and made her way through the crowd to sit next to him. She wore a masquerade mask, covering her olive face with bright crimson. Almost any kind of attire was to be expected in this sort of place, so he was not surprised. Her ebony hair fell down her back, red ribbons threading through it. Her matching dress was flouncy and short. It was the clear grey eyes that held his gaze.

"Hello," She said, her voice low and smooth, "Is this seat taken?" He shook his head and she slid into it.

"Why were you watching me?"

"You stand out."

The Doctor frowned at her and finished off his drink. "No I don't."

"You do to those who have the right kind of eyes."

"Which is you, I suppose?" Her cryptic words were less than helpful, but he couldn't help but like her somehow anyway. His question just made her laugh.

"That depends on who you ask."

After their odd initial exchange, they got onto more normal topics and he chatted with the stranger for at least an hour. She was 24, backpacking, and called Nina. In addition to that, she was so charming that he realised that he was starting to feel that feeling in his gut that he had come to know as the 'companion reflex'. Already, this extravagantly dressed and oddly intuitive girl had struck him as someone who had the potential to find so much wonder in the universe. And he was very lonely – a new human would certainly solve that and keep him busy.

"So…you travelling?"

"Yes."

"Whatever you've seen, I could show you better," He said, going for the 'impressive' approach. It made the girl laugh.

"You're asking the wrong girl. You know that there's someone else you should be asking." That made the Doctor lift his eyebrows. "A replacement isn't what you need right now. We all have angels, you know. Some are just different to others."

Before he could ask just how she was able to say that and have it be correct, a brunette girl approached them. She was dressed similarly to Nina, with a blue masquerade mask, only instead of a dress, she had black leather trousers and a tight, clingy blue top. She was quite short but had large high heels to make up for it.

"This him?" She asked Nina, who nodded. "You tried to steal her away from me yet?"

"Um-"

"She said you would. Not that it would work," The brunette slung her arm around Nina's shoulders and grinned down at her, warm brown eyes sparkling. Meanwhile, Nina just leaned into her and grinned at the Doctor somewhat sheepishly.

"This one's an angel of sorts, but not the one you're looking for right now," She said.

"How are you doing that?" He asked, mouth open. "It's very impressive."

"My girl's a psychic," The girl in blue said proudly, "Low to medium level but reliable."

The Doctor looked at Nina with new interest. "Impressive." She just shrugged, but seemed more pleased by her friend's – or perhaps girlfriend's? – compliment than his.

"And based on the rest of what you saw, that brutal bar fight is gonna start in a minute, so we've got to go."

Nina looked at her and blinked with surprise. "Ooh, good call, Os, I forgot!" Their fingers intertwined as she got up, and Os looked at the Doctor expectantly.

"You better come too, chin boy," She said, and he made to the follow the couple out of the bar and back onto the boulevard. "I imagine you have places to be."

"Not really," He admitted.

"Find somewhere peaceful and just think about it," Nina said helpfully. Os smiled down at her, and he became aware that the looks they were giving each other were very familiar. They were the same looks that Amy and Rory had tended to exchange before they excused themselves from his company and headed to their bedroom.

What had Jack called it? _The sex eyes_. Yes, Nina and Os were giving each other the _sex eyes_. And that was his cue to make a very hasty exit.

He began to back away. "Well, thank you for your help. I'll leave you to it."

"Much appreciated," Os said, grinning and tugging Nina off down the street with obvious intent.

The Doctor hurriedly went back to the TARDIS.

* * *

After a week of avoiding the subject, and then a few days of denial, the Doctor eventually took Nina's advice and found somewhere peaceful to sit and contemplate his options regarding Aliya. It ended up being a playground, where he sat on the swing, alone, and watched the children run around playing. It cheered him up somewhat, but didn't do much for his problem.

"Hello." A young girl said as she hopped on the swing next to him.

"Hello," He replied. She was cute in her brown pigtails, brown eyes and dark coat. Children often approached him in his current regeneration – perhaps he gave off some kind of vibe.

"Why are you sitting on a swing?"

"Why shouldn't I?"

"Because you're old!" She laughed at him, and he had to smile a bit at that.

"Yes, that's true. That is very true." He nodded, a little glumly.

The little girl regarded him thoughtfully as they swung in silence for a few moments. "My mum say that I shouldn't talk to strange men."

"Ah, your mum's right."

"Are you strange?"

He laughed at her question. In so many ways, he was the epitome of strange. "Oh, dear. I'm way past strange. I think I'm probably incredible." That made the girl laugh with him a bit. But then she looked at him and asked a very simple question that immediately took him by surprise.

"Are you lonely?"

He just looked at her and smiled slightly. "Why would I be lonely?"

"Because you're sad," She said, as if it were on a label stuck to his face, and therefore obvious. "Have you lost something?" That rang a bit close to home, and he abruptly shook his head.

"No."

"When I lose something, I go to a quiet place and I close my eyes, and then I can remember where I put it."

The Doctor considered it and nodded, having to give her credit. "Good plan." It rather was, actually. Next time he lost something he would be sure to try it. After all, he had nothing better to do.

"I'm always losing things," The girl said rather glumly, "I lost my best pencil, my schoolbag, and my gran, and my mojo!"

"Your mojo?"

"I got it back though."

"Hey, that's good." He looked back down at his feet. If only everything that was lost could be so easily found. And not just trivial objects - though on that note, he was still on the hunt for a certain jar of custard...though that was hardly the most important thing to be considering now.

More intently, the girl eyed him. "What did you lose?"

He sighed. "My friend, I suppose. But the problem is, I don't know whether I want to find her."

"Why wouldn't you want to find her?"

"Because I'm cross with her. And she is rather angry at me."

The girl looked at him oddly. "Why?"

"Because…we said very mean things to each other, and then ran away from each other."

"That's rubbish. Friends shouldn't do that."

The Doctor frowned, because she was absolutely right. How could they even call themselves friends when they fought almost more easily than they talked, and their fights just consisted of hurting the other person as much as possible? _From the mouths of babes..._ He looked at her, undecided. "Well, exactly. That's why I think maybe I shouldn't look for her."

"You could just say sorry," She suggested, and immediately he shook his head.

"Why should I? She was as bad as me."

"If you want her to not be mad at you, you have to say sorry. And then she can say sorry, so you're not cross at her anymore."

Well, when she put it like that, it really did sound far too simple. "I suppose that might work."

"Have you been looking for her at all?"

"Not exactly. I didn't know if I wanted to, then I didn't know where to start…and now I'm not sure if we're still friends. I think I hurt her very badly." That part was true enough. But she had hurt him as well. They knew each other too well, knew how to dig deep...

"That's sad."

He frowned again. "Yeah, it is a bit."

"How are you going to find her?"

"I don't know. There's one place I can look. And if she's not there, then maybe I could find a quiet room and have a good think about it instead." That being said, all rooms in the TARDIS were quiet these days.

The girl nodded. "That would be good." She got off the swing with a small jump and a skip. "Goodbye!"

"Goodbye," The Doctor said, already sad to see her go.

She turned around and smiled at him. "Think of a good apology. Maybe tell her you're stupid, girls like it when boys admit that."

He genuinely laughed at that. "Yes, they do, don't they?" For Aliya, it was possibly the most accurate advice it was possible to get – especially from a total stranger.

"Mister, I hope you find her again!"

He would be lying if he agreed with her, so he settled for, "Thanks."

She went off with her mum – who seemed to scold her for talking to strangers – while he stared after her. After a few more seconds, he too got off his swing and headed back towards the TARDIS.

That made two people - one a psychic, one an innocent child – telling him to go and find Aliya. But he just couldn't bring himself to agree with them. Every time he thought about her, he still felt a fury bubbling beneath his skin. Her cruel and selfish words echoed in his head. Sometimes, to make it even worse, the cruel and selfish words _he _had said to _her _joined them.

No. Aliyanadevoralundar could stay in Cardiff. She could stay anywhere she liked, as long as it was away from him.

* * *

**Hope you liked it! And yes, little Clara in here about a season and a half before her time! We've got a bit of Series 7 before the majority of Series 6 dear me... XD **

**See you guys next week, and do let me know what you thought in a review, thanks! **

**-MayFairy :) **


	61. Video Calls, Swings, and Rescue Missions

**I'm sorry that this is two days late! My computer died, permanently. Luckily all my files were able to be saved (I think had that not been the case I would have cried for a week). So here's the chapter! But without my own computer, updates might be potentially slow until I get another one. But I'll do my best!**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! We get more Bannerman Road stuff this chapter which is always fun, but an appearance from someone that you guys might be surprised to see however briefly...**

**Also, some nice vague Clani stuff in this chapter too because they are too cute and perfect for words. :D **

* * *

After explaining to Sarah Jane that she only slept about once a week, Sarah Jane finally agreed that sleeping on the attic couch would be perfectly adequate for when she did decide to sleep. So once Sarah Jane and Sky had gone to bed, Aliya skyped Jenny through Mr Smith.

"Aliya!" Jenny waved from her Torchwood desk.

"Hi Jenny," Aliya said, having sat down on the steps in the attic that lead down to Mr Smith's controls. Seeing Jenny was incredibly welcome. She'd already started to miss the girl. "How's Cardiff?"

"All the better for you being gone," Marion commented from offscreen. "Oh, and Rex said to tell you that he should have known you were an alien freak."

"And what do you think of it?"

Marion appeared in the background and smirked. "He's an idiot to not have realised earlier. It was obvious."

Aliya was more surprised than she realised she probably should have been. "You knew this whole time?" The other woman just laughed and walked away and out of the screen.

"Sorry about that," Jenny said sheepishly, "She is usually a bit nicer when you're not here."

"Of course she is."

"So, how's Sarah Jane?"

"She's been lovely. More than I deserve. But I think she's doing this for your dad's sake as opposed to me. But I already feel better." Aliya smiled and Jenny gave her one in return, just glad that she was happier.

"Am I going to be this restless when I'm older?" The girl sounded a little concerned, but she was still grinning.

"Hard to say. You don't have the centuries of experience...but considering that your genes are 100% Doctor, I'm afraid to say that it's likely." Aliya smirked.

"By the sounds of it, I'm just about screwed in terms of everything because of who my dad is."

Aliya nodded, face serious but eyes laughing. "There's no hope for you. You've too much intergalactic travelling idiot in you."

Jenny laughed at that. "Well that's all I've got! I'll just have to make the best of it."

"As I say, you are your father's daughter through and through. Screwed. You're utterly screwed." She shook her head back and forth while wearing her most serious face, as if she were dianosing a terminal illness.

The girl chuckled again and shook her head. "Alright, enough of picking on Jenny's debatable genetic pros and cons-"

"Try and stay away from hats, you might be oddly attracted to very bad ones-"

"Aliya-"

"-and bowties, cravats, large coats, and most importantly, decorative vegetables!"

"Alright, now I know you're making things up!"

Aliya chuckled. "Decorative vegetables are not within my imagination, believe me. Your father favoured celery, but if you start thinking about how spring onions might look on a belt, just avert your eyes and walk away very quickly."

For a moment, Jenny was stunned. Then she properly comprehended the words, and fell about laughing. Aliya had to join her because it was always good to make jokes at the Doctor's expense and Jenny didn't believe her - and of course she was being ridiculous by that point. She very much doubted that Jenny was going to try and wear spring onions or any kind of vegetable.

"I'm sorry. I'll behave now, promise," Aliya said, grinning.

"It's just nice seeing you laugh," Jenny said, "You're sad so much of the time."

The smile didn't leave her face or even falter as she shrugged slightly. "The thing about being sad is that when you're happy, it means that much more."

"Well then I'll just have to find things that make you happy," Jenny said simply. "In the meantime, find something yourself."

"Being helpful and busy makes me happy. Knowing that people I care about are safe and happy makes me happy. So I'll keep busy here and you keep yourself safe there, okay?" She couldn't help it - it came out sounding very motherly. Jenny didn't look bothered. Quite the opposite.

"That's a good plan."

"I thought so."

* * *

Aliya had read a third of the books in Sarah Jane's attic by the time that morning rolled around and a pyjama clad Sky wandered in. The girl immediately noticed the book in her hand.

"Have you been reading all night?"

"Most of it."

Sky eyed her curiously. "Do you not need to sleep?"

Aliya put the book down and got off the couch which she had been lying on for several hours. "I do. But not nearly as often as humans."

"Sky?" Sarah Jane - sleepy eyed and still in her pyjamas too - popped her head in. "Oh, good. Why don't you get dressed?"

"If I do, then can I get Aliya to tell me about her planet?"

Sarah Jane looked at Aliya. "It's fine with me. But you might want to ask her. She might not want to talk about it."

Aliya blinked. "I don't mind telling a little bit."

"Then do I get to listen too?" Sarah Jane smiled sheepishly. "The Doctor never said much more than tidbits. Over the years I've always wondered."

"Of course. It's the least I can do considering what you're doing for me," Aliya said with a small smile back.

* * *

Sometime later, the three females were leaving the house and coming out of the driveway when a woman of Indian descent outside the house opposite began to wave.

"Hello Sarah, Sky!" She abruptly crossed the road and grinned at them. "Who's your friend?" She eyed Aliya, who was currently holding hands with Sky.

"This is Aliya. She's, er, a distant cousin. Third cousin twice removed, or something like that, wasn't it?" Sarah Jane said the lie hastily, and gave Aliya a pointed look.

"Oh, yes," Aliya agreed, nodding.

"She's staying with me for a while."

"Oh, well, then welcome to Bannerman Road!" The woman beamed. "I'm Gita, Rani's mum. If you haven't met her yet, you will soon, her and that Clyde are always at Sarah Jane's."

"Oh, I've met them," Aliya said, nodding, "Your daughter is brilliant, you should be proud."

"Oh, we are," Gita replied happily. "She wants to be a journalist like Sarah Jane. What do you do, my lovely?"

"Um-"

"Aliya works for a special ops unit in Cardiff," Sarah Jane said smoothly.

"Really?" Gita gaped. "How exciting! Doing what?"

"If she told you, she'd have to kill you," Sarah Jane teased with a joking sparkle in her eye. Aliya and Sky shared confused looks as the two human women laughed. After a few seconds, a memory clicked in Aliya's head from a piece of Earth fiction and she suddenly let out a squeak of excitement as she started to grin.

"I got that! I understood that reference!" She looked at Sarah Jane with wide eyes, and the woman just chuckled and looked at her as if to say 'well done' the way one would to a child.

Gita just blinked and looked at her oddly. "Well, my darlings, I'll let you get on with your day, I've got to get to the shop."

"Yes, we won't keep you, see you later," Sarah Jane said, nodding. Gita dashed back across the road and got into her car while the other three continued down the street in the direction of the park a few blocks away. When they got to the park, Sky immediately targeted the swings, and so the two women joined her so that they filled up the three swings in the set. Aliya ended up in the middle.

"Do you like swings?" Sky asked as she began to get herself going.

"I don't think I've ever been on one before," Aliya admitted, eyeing the contraptions and thinking of how she had only seen them a few times before, from a distance. "What do they do, exactly?"

"You swing on them!"

"Why?"

"Because it's fun! It's like flying." Sky beamed. "They're my favourite."

"No swings on Gallifrey, then?" Sarah Jane deducted. She smiled at Aliya, who just shook her head and hesitantly began to copy Sky's movements.

"We never had anything like this. Young Gallifreyans didn't play, we learnt."

"Not at all?" The look Sarah Jane gave her was sad and…pitying?

"That sounds awful!" Sky said.

Aliya shrugged. "It was just life. There was so much knowledge to be had. The closest we would get would be at family gatherings. I suppose we played then, as children. Or if we were catching flutterwings. That was fun."

A memory flashed across her mind, of sitting in a field of red grass with a two year old Heta on her lap, watching her young cousin Romanadvoratrelundar – only twelve at the time – running with her net trying to catch the flutterwings, her dark hair streaming behind her. Murmurs of conversation behind Aliya from where her husband and Romana's mother were discussing the current political situation. She hadn't found it interesting but it made her feel that much more at home.

It occurred to her that it was probably one of the happiest memories she had. For a moment she smiled. And then she remembered that all of it had been ripped away from her.

They had let her see the Defender's body. Aspirin poisoning had been the official verdict. But she could remember standing next to the block where his body had been laid out. How she'd reached out a grease covered hand – she had come straight from the capsule workshop – to touch his cold, almost grey skin. That regeneration had been ruggedly handsome, in a somewhat distant way. There had been no great love between them (after the Doctor's departure and exile from Gallifrey, she had no hope for it again) but they had been companions for decades. They had shared a bed, conceived a child, their precious child…and that meant more than she had perhaps realised. Because she had felt a surprisingly powerful grief at the loss of him.

And then Heta, how immediately afterwards, she had been so worried about how he would take his father's death. But she had found her son to be dead, killed in the same way as his father. What got to her was that to this day she had no idea who had done it, or why. But she had rocked his body in her arms, wept for the life he had never been able to lead.

In the end, Romana had been the last precious thing she had. By the time her cousin was President, the two had become closer than ever before. Aliya had still seen her mother from time to time, but her relations were distant with her father. It had made Romana all the more valuable. When Romana had been captured by the Daleks and held as their prisoner, she had been so sick with worry. And when the Doctor's TARDIS had appeared in the middle of the Panopticon, and Romana had stumbled out, thin and pale, her strawberry hair limp – the crowds had rushed towards their President. But Aliya had pushed through them all, yelling, and she had held her cousin in her arms and glared at anyone who dared try and approach. The Doctor didn't bother to even exit his ship, the box dematerialised within a minute, and Aliya had half carried Romana back to the Presidential Suite. And after all of that…Rassilon himself had been the reason for Romana's demise in the end. It was because of him that Romana and the Doctor had not escaped Gallifrey and set the Time Lock together.

"Aliya?"

Aliya snapped back to the present when Sarah Jane's voice breached her thoughts. "Are you alright?"

She blinked and shook her head to clear it. "I'm fine. It's easy to get lost in the past when you have so much of it."

"You don't have to talk about Gallifrey if you don't want to."

"It's not Gallifrey that's the problem," Aliya said, smiling a little. "The real question is where to start. But I suppose...what it looked like. It was big, much bigger than Earth. The grass was deep red and the sky burnt orange. There were twin suns, and a forest of silver trees, and the great mountains…We lived in the Citadel, with dimensionally transcendental buildings that meant we could fit almost our entire population in there. That huge glass dome separated us from the natural beauty of our planet, mostly. Even the estates of some of the Houses were inside it. Only the wealthier Oldblood estates were outside of it. They were the only ones who were used to being outside. Most Time Lords would never set foot on natural ground or breathe outside air."

"So you were always inside?" Sky frowned. "That doesn't sound very nice."

"It's just how it was." Again, Aliya shrugged. "But being friends with the Doctor often meant breaking the rules. I went out of the Citadel many a time, don't you worry. But even simple things like non-temperate weather are still a little…not odd, but interesting to me."

"You like using big words, don't you?" Sky grinned at her, and Aliya had to laugh and nod.

"Yes, sorry."

"It's okay."

"What about the people? The few times the Doctor spoke of them…"

"There were some that were kind. The few that were friends. Most were just…stuck up, boring, horrible, and absolute-" She paused, considering her language due to her audience, "-brutes. It was like they had no concept of what it meant to _feel_, or that to do so was _shameful_. There's a reason why so many chose to run away. Even if some of us ran back."

"If it was so bad, why do you miss it?" Sky asked, perceptive enough that Aliya didn't bother to deny it.

"Because it was home," She said simply, sighing. "And nothing can replace home."

"Perhaps not, but you're welcome on Earth for as long as you like," Sarah Jane said, "I know that the Doctor has found it to be a sort of home many times."

Aliya nodded. "Yes, he has, and does. But…I'm not him. And Earth, no matter how hard I try…is not home to me."

"That's alright. Just think of it as a nice holiday," Sky said, swinging higher than ever on her swing and letting out a gleeful laugh. Aliya looked at Sarah Jane and they shared a fond smile as their gazes drifted back to the girl on the swing.

Just as they went to leave the park sometime later, the grey sky opened and rain began to fall onto the trio. Sky squealed, and Sarah Jane immediately ducked her head to shield her face from it. But Aliya tilted her head back and smiled as the raindrops slid across her skin, beating it like tapping fingers of a persistent – if annoying – friend. Her arms stretched out and her palms rotated upwards to catch the water on her hands.

"What's she doing?" Sky asked Sarah Jane as the two of them watched the blonde.

"She's getting very wet," Sarah Jane replied matter-of-factly, and tugged Sky towards a nearby tree which provided partial shelter.

Aliya almost didn't notice. There was something so incredible about the feel of rain on her skin. She still wasn't in any way used to it. Instead of reminding her of the horrible day which had resulted in her being where she was, she was reminded of the first time she ever felt it on her skin. She and the Doctor – who had still been Theta at the time – had snuck out of the Citadel after he had caught her staring out at the pouring rain from one of the windows.

When they had gotten outside, the rain had been so strong that it felt like tiny hammers, and had drenched them in seconds. But it had been so incredible. They had laughed and danced through it all, with their clothes clinging and their hair plastered to their heads.

They'd splashed in puddles too.

So, as she recalled it, Aliya laughed happily up at the sky. And then she dropped her arms and head, and looked at the humans watching her from under the tree a few metres away.

"It might not be home," She said, grinning, "But it is _beautiful_."

* * *

When they finally got home and dried off with towels in front of the fire, Sarah Jane excused herself to go up the attic and check that nothing had come up since they had been out. Aliya chatted with Sky as they discarded their jackets and didn't even notice a few minutes later when Sarah Jane reappeared in the lounge doorway.

"Aliya?" The Time Lady looked up to find Sarah Jane staring at her with an unfathomable expression.

"Yes?"

"I don't know how to – Mr Smith has something you should see," The human woman said, looking anxious.

Aliya frowned but decided it was easier to just go to the attic than to ask questions. So she half ran up the stairs – Sarah Jane followed at a slower pace - and opened the wooden door. But when she came into the room and saw what was on the screen, she froze.

In what was clearly a video call, the Doctor's face stared at her with the intense green eyes she had come to know so well. Her hearts almost stopped. She thought she might be sick.

"Mr Smith, end the call," She said abruptly, but the Xylok did not answer. "End the call!" Nothing happened.

"Aliya."

Hearing him say her name was simultaneously blissful and agonising. "I have _nothing _to say to you!" She spat. With that, she tried to leave the attic, only to find Sarah Jane blocking her way.

"Aliya, just hear him out," Sarah Jane said quietly.

Aliya spun to look at the computer screen again. "How did you even find me?"

"Recalled a conversation that happened a long time ago – for me. Once I knew you were in Cardiff, I called Torchwood. Jenny was very helpful as to where you had gone, Jack surprisingly the opposite. Your doing, I suppose." His voice was rather bland, neither friendly nor aggressive, just something close to cordial.

"He knows that I don't want to talk to you – Jenny is an optimistic child. Of course she would help her father over her friend!" Aliya stared at him for a moment and slicked her still wet hair back from her face, anxious to do anything but speak to him. However, silence was not her strong point. "Alright. I know how, and who. But why?"

His jaw clenched. "I – I don't know." At that, she just stared incredulously, fury in her eyes. "I suppose I…just wanted to be sure that you were…safe."

"Fuck you," She seethed. Next to her, she heard Sarah Jane's small gasp of surprise at the forceful curse. "You have no right."

"Actually, after centuries-"

"After centuries, you threw that friendship out of the TARDIS doors and smashed it into a million pieces! This is my life, and you are not in it! Leave me the hell alone!"

His expression turned sour and cold. "Forgive me for trying to be civil."

"Civil went out the fucking window a decent while back, don't make me laugh," Aliya snapped. "I don't need you and you made it very clear that you don't need me. So end the call and fly away in your stupid box."

He scowled at her. "Believe me, I will."

"Then bloody get on with it!"

With that, the screen went black before returning to Mr Smith's default desktop. Aliya let out a small yell of frustration and took several deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself, but it didn't work. She looked at Sarah Jane, who was staring at her with a shocked expression.

"I'm sorry you had to witness that," Aliya said quietly, and her shaking hands went to again slick her hair back, because she knew if she didn't do something then she would break down. It was too late, though. Her chest hurt, a physical pain that made her wince.

"Are you alright?"

"I can't breathe," Aliya gasped, and went past her and ran down the stairs, flying out of the front door and leaning against the brick wall of the house. She did her best to take large gulps of air from her surroundings, but it didn't help. She felt tears gather at her eyes. _How DARE he? _She leant her head back against the wall and let herself sink to the ground as she stared up at the still grey sky which was no longer spilling rain. Her hands covered her eyes as she continued to take the deep gasping breaths until eventually her lungs seemed to remember how to function. "You're okay, you're okay, you're okay." The words were rather pointless and did little to help.

"Aliya?" The voice was familiar – Rani's, for sure. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing."

Her footsteps crept closer. "Are you crying?"

"Probably. Sarah Jane's upstairs. I'm assuming you came to see her."

"Well, yeah, but-"

"Then go see her."

"What's wrong?"

Aliya just shook her head and laughed slightly. "You don't want to get sucked into my problems. Go inside and see Sarah Jane."

Rani didn't answer, but went past her and into the house.

* * *

When Rani Chandra came into Sarah Jane's attic, the woman knew by the teenager's face that she had passed Aliya on the way. It was obvious that she shouldn't have listened when the Doctor had called and asked to speak with Aliya. But she had seen a chance for the two Time Lords to repair their damaged friendship – a chance Sarah Jane herself had often wished for. A chance to see the Doctor again after getting dumped on Earth.

"Why's Aliya outside shaking and crying?"

"The Doctor called through Mr Smith and asked to speak with her. I made the mistake of granting his request, and told Aliya to come up without telling her why."

Rani frowned. "I don't understand."

"You know, she told me that they parted on bad terms, but I just couldn't quite believe it. Because surely they cared about each other enough to put whatever fight they had aside. But I was wrong." Sarah Jane sighed. "I think whatever was said between them really was as bad as Aliya said, far more than I can imagine."

"I thought she was just here visiting," Rani said, and the older female shook her head.

"The Doctor…kicked her out, or so she told me. Said they had a terrible fight and said things too horrible to be forgiven. And now she's stuck on Earth. She was staying with Jack, but Torchwood got a bit much for a pacifist like her, so she took me up on an offer I made her after that business with the Bronxites."

"What offer?"

"The same offer I made to another companion of his a long time ago. That if there came a time where she had parted ways with the Doctor, and she wanted to be with someone who understood, that she would be welcome to stay with me. This is her taking me up on it, though I never thought she would need to."

Rani shook her head, eyes closing for a moment as she absorbed the new information. "What could have been so bad that he kicked her out? It doesn't sound like him at all."

Sarah Jane shrugged and smiled sadly. "They're Time Lords. They're different to humans…it makes sense that they would be very different around each other too, for all we know."

"Do you think they'll ever apologise?"

"After what I just saw?" Sarah Jane lifted an eyebrow. "I can honestly say that I have my doubts, now. She yelled at him, cursed at him even. Told him to leave her the hell alone, that she had nothing to say to him. That he had no part in her life anymore."

"So he kicked her out and he tries to…apologise, but she yells at him?"

"I don't know, Rani. I think whatever he said in the process must have hurt her badly enough for her to…well, no longer want anything to do with him, it seems."

"But she's down there _crying_," Rani reminded her. "People don't cry when they're angry. People cry when they're sad. And she sounded…like she was breaking."

"The Doctor has that effect on those he leaves behind," Sarah Jane said sadly, thinking of her own experience and how she herself had cried for weeks once realising that the Doctor wasn't coming back for her. _Oh that man…he leaves heartbreak behind him everywhere. _

Rani looked at her for a moment as though she suspected just how much Sarah Jane was speaking of herself, but didn't press the subject. "Will she be alright?"

"She needs time. It's the only thing that will help her, unfortunately."

When the two of them went downstairs, however, Aliya was playing a card game with Sky, grinning away as if nothing had happened at all.

"You okay?" Sarah Jane asked tentatively.

Aliya nodded, smiling softly. "I'm done letting him get to me. My life is mine and I have to find my own way. Lord knows I should have done a long time ago. I'm a thousand years old, it's time I gained some independence."

"Well, good for you," Rani said, smiling back. "My mum always says to find something that makes you happy, and the day it doesn't, to stop."

"Your mum is brilliant." Aliya grinned as she put a card down on the pile, making Sky groan. "Makes sense how she made you."

Rani blushed slightly. "She wouldn't stop talking about you when she got home from the shop. She's so nosy. Talking about Sarah Jane's distant cousin, and special ops in Cardiff. Is that what you guys told her?"

"Well, half of it was true, and what else could we say?" Sarah Jane pointed out. "But she _would_ get even more curious." She chuckled fondly.

"Hey, Aliya, do you have a mobile phone?" Rani asked suddenly.

"Yes, actually, not that I use it much, only have Jack and Jenny's numbers on there."

"Add mine," Rani suggested, scribbling it on a bit of paper and putting it next to her on the table, "Text me if you get bored. Or maybe I'll be texting you. You'll come up with funny alien things to say if I'm bored in class or something."

"Okay." Aliya took the piece of paper and stared at it. "Sure, why not? Texting. Very…domestic."

"Watch it, spacewoman, you're getting borderline stuck up alien there," Rani said, chuckling, and Aliya's cheeks flushed.

"Sorry. Please do tell me off for it when I do it. Century old habits are hard to break but I may as well try and make a proper start."

"Telling off a centuries old alien when she gets too much of a superiority complex…yeah, I can do that." Rani grinned at her.

* * *

It wasn't until a week later, while Aliya had been contently reading a very thick history book in the late hours of the night, that her phone rang. She jumped and nearly started to panic until she realised what the noise was. She wasn't used to the phone actually _ringing_.

"Hello?"

"Aliya!" Clyde's voice was easy to recognise, as was the relief in it. "Thank god."

"What are you doing on Rani's phone?"

"There isn't time. Aliya, we're in trouble," He said urgently.

"Alien trouble?"

"No, normal Earth trouble."

"Such as?"

"I can explain later, but look, can you come and pick us up?"

Aliya paused to be sure that he had actually said what he had. "From _where?_ In _what?_" He had to be joking.

"Look, I'll text you the address, just head into the city for now."

She shook her head even though he couldn't see it. "Clyde, I don't have a car or a TARDIS, how do you expect me to get there and bring you back?" Honestly, was the boy out of his mind?

"Take Sarah Jane's."

"Why didn't you just call her? Why me? You barely know me, Sarah Jane is one of your closest friends. She's practically your second mother," Aliya said quietly, hoping that she didn't wake the others up.

"Because we were at a party!" Clyde said, audibly frustrated. "The kind that makes parents go mental. And it…went bad. I'll keep explaining but please, I need to know you're on your way."

"I can't just take Sarah Jane's car," Aliya hissed into the phone, but she found herself leaving the attic and going down the stairs, scooping her jacket up and putting it on as she went. "I am a guest in her house."

"She doesn't have to know!"

"Do you hear yourself?"

"We'll find something to tell her later. Please. We're in serious trouble. _Please!_"

That did it for her. She sighed, shook her head and grabbed Sarah Jane's keys from the front door table and headed out to the car. Once she had got inside, she stared at the wheel in front of her and the pedals at her feet. "I don't suppose," She breathed somewhat irritably, "This is a good time to mention that I don't actually know how to drive a car."

"You can fly an alien time machine from the future! How hard can a car be? Right pedal is go, middle pedal is stop. The wheel steers. The rest is pretty basic!" Clyde sounded as exasperated as she felt.

"Silly alien woman can't even drive…" A giggling third voice said from Clyde's end of the line.

"Was that Rani?" Aliya asked, frowning as she inched out of the driveway, having found how to start the car and move it into reverse, mostly by luck and a book she had read on the TARDIS once. "Is she drunk?"

"Yes and no, not exactly," Clyde said, suddenly sounding more worried, "You on your way?"

"Yes. Now what the hell is going on that the person you call is an alien that you barely know instead of Sarah Jane or your parents?!" Aliya shook her head again. She never would be able to understand how humans thought.

"Well, we were at the party. A mate of mine was throwing it, but there were heaps of his other friends we hadn't met. This one guy took a liking to Rani, but she told him she wasn't interested. We thought that was the end of it. But twenty minutes later, I can't see her. So I look, and I see this guy pulling her up the stairs, towards one of the bedrooms. She couldn't walk straight. So I went up to them and pulled her away. I think he put something in her drink because alcohol wouldn't have worked so quick." Clyde's explanation shocked Aliya more than it probably should have.

"She's been _drugged_?"

"I think so, yeah. And that guy, he wasn't happy. I told him to back off and leave her alone. Then he hit me. So I hit him back and said some stuff I probably shouldn't have said. You should have worked out by now I'm a smartass. He didn't like what I had to say. Said he was gonna 'get me' and 'make me sorry'. So we legged it. We're quite a few blocks from the place and we're hiding."

"You're running from another teenager? How bad could he be?"

"He's got to be at least twenty. And he's huge, the kind of bloke you cross the street to not pass. And trust me, he wasn't making empty threats. The few punches he got in were bad enough. Besides, if he got to me, what's to stop him getting to Rani after what he gave her?" The concern and protectiveness in the teenager's voice was so evident that it almost made Aliya smile.

"Okay, I'm on my way, I should probably hang up and focus on this. Text me the address and I'll do my best but please make them good directions, I have absolutely _no idea _where I am going!" With that, she hung up and put her foot down on the accelerator.

What he had said about Rani, the idea of someone being forced into something like that against their will due to their brain being messed with…it rang too close to home. The difference of course was that in Rani's circumstance, it wasn't the girl's fault, she hadn't practically asked for it.

Aliya looked down and realised that she was gripping the wheel far too tightly. She took a deep breath and kept driving until her phone bleeped to tell her the address. She followed the - admittedly, very good – directions until she pulled up on the street which was apparently her destination. The darkness of the night got to her more than she knew it logically should, but she gritted her teeth and bore it until Clyde and a stumbling Rani appeared out of the shadows and climbed into the backseat of the car.

"Go, I think I heard them getting close," Clyde panted, and so Aliya did as she was told and began heading back in the direction she had come. "Thanks, by the way."

Aliya glanced in the rear view mirror at the two teenagers. Clyde's nose was bleeding and she could already see some bruises forming on his face. "Are you alright?"

"I'll be fine." He barely seemed to notice the question. His arm was around Rani's shoulders as she leaned on him with her eyes closed. Aliya remembered being that young, with a similar kind of best friend, who saved her from a similar situation. She smiled.

"You're a very good friend, Clyde," She told him, and he tore his eyes away from Rani to look at her.

"Like I was just going to stand by and let that happen," He said, his voice back to being protective. His gaze went back to Rani in an instant. As she moaned and leant against him more heavily, he just rubbed her back, his eyes never losing the concern in them. "Rani, you alright?"

"My head hurts," The girl said, her eyes flickering open, "Are we going home now?"

"Yeah, we are, Aliya came and got us," Clyde told her.

"Well, tell her thanks." Rani leant against his chest and shut her eyes again. Aliya went back to focusing on driving, because while the actual car wasn't too difficult to use, she knew nothing of the traffic rules, and therefore needed to watch the road.

"So, am I taking you home?" She asked.

Clyde frowned. "We can't take her home, her parents will kill all of us. My mum wouldn't freak out and get the wrong idea if Rani stayed over, and then I can think about what we're going to tell Sarah Jane."

"Yes, what _are _we telling Sarah Jane?" Aliya shot him a look through the rear view mirror. "Because I don't want to be telling her anything but the absolute truth. Because she has given me more than I ever deserved, and borrowing her car in the middle of the night is a shitty way to repay her."

"Yeah…well, I'm all for telling her the truth…but I just have this feeling that Rani won't want to…I bet she'll feel embarrassed…even if it's the opposite of her fault," Clyde muttered. His hand absently stroked Rani's hair.

"She'll have to get over it. We're telling Sarah Jane everything. Besides, those bruises of yours are only going to be more visible tomorrow, she'll suspect. Now, where's your house?"

Once they had arrived and parked outside, Clyde opened the front door and ran back to the car. Rani had passed out before they had arrived, and being taller than Clyde, was too heavy for him to carry alone. So in an awkward joint effort, Clyde and Aliya slowly carried Rani into the house and through to his bedroom, where they lay her on the bed after Clyde suggested it.

Once Rani was settled, Aliya took a minute to look around Clyde's room. It was only mildly messy, with a drawing easel taking a major spot in the room. She'd never realised that he was an artist, but his room made it obvious. Drawings and even a few paintings were on the walls, as well as an unfinished sketch on the front page of the easel. It was of a girl, facing away so that there was no face, but she looked suspiciously like Rani.

"So, don't suppose you know how we might be able to get rid of the effects of whatever he gave her?" Clyde whispered, and leading her back through to the kitchen. His eyes briefly darted to another door in the hallway – probably his mother's bedroom. Aliya just had to hope that his mother didn't wake up.

Once they were away from the bedrooms, Aliya answered him. "Clyde, I'm shocking at chemistry – particularly the medical kind. And not knowing what she took makes it impossible."

"Well, it was probably one of the date rape drugs, there's about three, I think, we had a talk in school about it," The teenager replied, his forehead creasing into a frown.

"You have a name for it," Aliya whispered, utterly horrified, "Is it that common?" Clyde's face gave her the answer. "What do the drugs usually do?"

"Same stuff as alcohol or other drugs, I think. Only their memory gets affected too, so they don't even remember it happened, let alone who did it."

Aliya rubbed her temples tiredly. "Look, I think the best thing is probably just to make her some coffee, the caffeine might help. And some water. Wake her up and make sure she has it. I can't help much more than that. I'm not…accustomed to this."

"So what, this never happened on your planet?"

"No...it did, I suppose...but not with drugs. I mean, in my social standings it was rather hushed up, but in my school days you'd hear whispers," She said, frowning, "Shabogan servant girls who were in the wrong place at the wrong time and some Lord or student would-" She shook her head. "But they didn't need drugs. They only needed their bloody social standing. Because who would dare speak out?"

"That's awful," Clyde said.

"Of course it wasn't necessarily just servant girls…" Aliya's thoughts had gone too far, and were lost in the mass of memories from her youth at the Academy, and she spoke them vaguely and quietly without realising. "Some of us got roped in by someone who seemed honourable…and had our minds manipulated by another mind instead of by a chemical substance…made to forget the times that we fought and screamed, and remember the times when we welcomed it..." Her hands gripped the kitchen counter tight enough that it turned her knuckles white.

"What?" Clyde asked sharply, and having realised she had spoken aloud, Aliya immediately froze and paled. "You said _us_."

"I should go." She made to leave but he grabbed her arm.

"As in _you_. As in…it happened to you."

Frantically, she shook her head. "It was very different. And at least half my fault." Clyde just stared incredulously. "Clyde…" Her voice was very soft. "Not everyone's friend gets them out before it happens. You were a hero tonight."

"Then you were my getaway driver," He joked. She smiled, thinking he would let the subject go, but he didn't. "So your friend didn't get you out?"

"I'm not discussing this with you Clyde, I'm just very tired and said something very private that I shouldn't have." She bit her lip for a moment and sighed. "And my friend did get me out…it just took him a while. And he had to get help. That's what I'm saying. You did it all by yourself."

His dark hand took hers gently, taking her by surprise. He just gave it a comforting squeeze as his eyes conveyed a kind of sympathy and gratitude.

"Thanks," She said, "And you're welcome. Now, I really need to go, I'm in another woman's house, a woman I've never met and one who certainly didn't invite me inside, I really shouldn't be in here-"

"I'm inclined to agree." A woman who had to be Clyde's mother stepped into view. Her dark skin had made her less visible in the shadows of the kitchen, but she could be clearly seen as she flicked on the light. Aliya and Clyde jumped ever so slightly in surprise, having been caught. "Would you care to explain?"

"Mum, this is Aliya. Aliya, this is my mum," Clyde said hastily. "Mum, she's a friend. She helped me with Rani-"

"Rani?"

"Yeah, someone slipped her something at the party," He replied, nodding, "And we ran into some other trouble. I panicked and called Aliya. I didn't want to wake you up or make you worry."

"And who are you, exactly?" Clyde's mother all but demanded. "A friend who happens to have about a decade on my son and Rani?"

"I'm staying with Sarah Jane, that's how I met Clyde…" Aliya said slowly, feeling incredibly uncomfortable. "Look, I am really sorry, I was just helping him carry her inside, but then we got talking, as you will have heard, I'm leaving." She took several steps in the direction of the front door.

The other woman nodded. "That sounds like a good idea." Then she added, "But if what he says is true…if they were in trouble and you helped…then thank you."

The blonde nodded quickly. "You're welcome, but you don't need to thank me, really, he called me and asked for help, and really meant it…what else could I have done?" It then occurred to her that she was speaking to a mother about her son. Of course she would thank the woman who helped him. She would have done the same. "Uh…" She looked at Clyde. "Call me tomorrow and let me know how she is. And then we'll talk to Sarah Jane." She waved goodbye slightly and left the house before the situation got even more awkward.

When she got back to Sarah Jane's, she did her best to park in the same place where the car had been before, though parking at all was good too. She left the keys where she had found them. Then, she went back up to the attic and grabbed her bottle of sleeping pills, took one, and lay down on the attic couch before falling asleep for the first time in over a week.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Let me know what you thought in a review! **

**You know, there is probably only about five chapters left, not including the epilogue (which I've already written...it will explain the AUness of this story's universe and how that occurred...but will also raise more questions than answers...but on the plus side...we'll get to see River one more time!), and then we'll FINALLY be onto the sequel, which is where the good stuff happens. And with my updating problems generally fixed, there will be no more three month gaps between updates, meaning that the sequel will not take another three years to finish, because that would be ridiculous. I've got four stories planned for this series, I don't have that kind of time! **

***coughs* Anyway, yeah, let me know what you thought. **

**-MayFairy :) **

**p.s. to compensate for what could be a slightly longer update gap, I'll leave you with the teaser that (probably in the chapter after next) we'll be back at Torchwood dealing with someone else who will be popping back up...none other than Captain John Hart himself, as portrayed in _Torchwood_ by the fabulous James Marsters. For those that don't know, he's Jack's old Time Agency partner (in more ways than one ;)) and he's like a more selfish, antagonistic Jack crossed with Spike, James Marster's _Buffy _character, fabulous asshole vampire and sassmaster extraordinaire. Hart is an absolutely fab character who I have been waiting to play with for ages. Also, I ship Jack/John a bit more than I should so there will likely be a bit of that in there too. What can I say, they had a great makeout scene in Hart's introductory episode. **

**...wow rambling in the author's note. That's not cool. MayFairy out. **


	62. Revealed Truths

**Eight days is close enough to a week. This is my busiest time of year so just stick with me. :) **

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! You're all amazing. **

**This chapter has a creepy dream sequence, and then some fluffy stuff, and then some Clani. Enjoy!**

* * *

_It was dark. Too dark. _

_Somehow Aliya kept the scream in, perhaps because she knew it was a dream. But she did bite down on her tongue and wrap her arms around herself because in this dark space there was a chilling cold. In the distance she heard the voices of Daleks, as she had in her cell on their ship, and shivers ran down her spine. It took all of herself control to not scream then, scream _his _name, scream for him to save her from the monsters..._

_As it was, her body shook, and a sob slipped out. Her knees weakened but she managed to remain standing. _

_"Hello Luna," A voice from behind her whispered. Warm hands aligned themselves on her hips as the all too familiar body formed behind her. A whimper of fear escaped her and she pushed away from him with all of her strength. _

_"You're dead. Leave me alone," She snapped with more force than she knew she had. _

_"But I'm in your head." She turned to look at him. Koschei of Oakdown stared back at her, and his pale green eyes glinted in the darkness. His blonde hair - as blonde as hers had been then and was again now - still had the curls she remembered. Somewhere amongst the fear and anger and hatred...a tiny part of her felt a hint of the emotions he had brought out in her all those centuries ago. _

_"I left you behind long ago, you have no hold over me," She hissed. "This is just a dream."_

_An easy smirk decorated his face. Before her eyes his entire physicality changed until none other than Harold Saxon stood before her, identical to how he looked on the Valiant in the Doctor's memories. His suit was pristine and his hair brown and short. But it was the eyes that made her gasp. Their deep brown held such madness, far more than she had seen in him before. He was so far from Koschei of Oakdown. This was the Master. _

_"So you became this," She whispered. He laughed that manical laugh that made her blood run cold. _

_"I'm sorry you missed it," He said. "Me, Prime Minister of Great Britain, can you imagine?"_

_"I don't need to, I've seen it in the Doctor's head. And you didn't stop, you went on to dictator and decimator of the entire world," Aliya said accusingly. _

_"If only you were there. You would have made a much more interesting wife than old Lucy." He grinned and stepped forward to quickly grab her by the wrist and pull her in. She struggled against his grip but couldn't break free. "You would have looked good in red too." She couldn't be sure if it was a perverted reference to Lucy's red cocktail dress or a vague death threat. Either way, when his hand grabbed her chin and his fingers trailed across her cheek, she flinched. "Fear me if you like," He said, and then forcefully turned her head so that she could see their surroundings. The metallic bronze was unmistakeable. They were entirely surrounded by Daleks, who proceeded to let out their infamous battle cry. "But don't you fear them more?"_

_"Exterminate! Exterminate!" _

_Reflexively, Aliya buried her face into the Master's shoulder and clung to him. She could almost hear the smugness radiating from him as his arm wound even more tightly around her. She couldn't call it an embrace. It was a gesture of pure possession and triumph without a hint of tenderness. She was painfully crushed to him and could not move as another laugh from him shook both of their bodies. _

_"Well well...if your precious Doctor could see you now. Me in your dreams. You clinging to me, wanting me to save you from the monsters." His voice was soft, rich poison. _

_"It's just a dream," She insisted, also trying to convince herself, "And you're dead." _

_"I'm in a Time Lock." _

_"Same thing." _

_"Is it?" _

_"No one can escape a Time Lock." She sounded sure until the last word, where her voice wavered. _

_"Maybe not," He conceded, "But you know that if anyone can...it's me. And doesn't that just terrify you?" Every single word was true. He had always been able to read her like an open book, almost as if he could glimpse her soul. "What are you really afraid of?"_

"_I'm afraid of an insane murdering megalomaniac being released into the universe again," She managed to say, coming across far braver than she felt. _

_The Master regarded her with a sort of amusement. "Look at you," He said, smirking, "All self-righteous. But I can remember when you looked at me with adoration." His fingers trailed down her neck and her body remained rigid, her eyes boring hatred and fear into his. _

_"I was a child!" She protested, too proud to not be defensive. _

_With one yank, she was flush against him and trapped by his arm. He smirked at her. "No, you really weren't." _

_"You made sure of that." _

_"And you loved every minute of it," He replied, with a cool confidence that made her uneasy. She tried to get away from him but even in her own dream he was stronger. _

_"You _invaded _my mind and made it that way," She snapped. _

_He shook his head. "You and I know that's not true." She didn't reply and instead looked away. "Oh, I see. You're actually trying to deny it. Not just to me, but to yourself." Still, she remained silent, so he forced her to look back at him. "You see, later, it was true. But not at first. That was _all _you. You, Luna, wanted me just as much as I wanted you, and that first time, your mind was the one place I _didn't _touch." _

_Aliya shut her eyes and tried to ignore the memory he spoke of, the memory of his hands on her and the knowledge of the horror that had followed in the years after...but some of it crept in anyway, making her shudder. She didn't want to remember. Just thinking about it made her skin crawl. And being so close to him now made her feel sick to her stomach. _

_His eyes lit up with a kind of triumph. "Oh, it _burns_ you, doesn't it? That I was the first. And not him."_

"_I don't regret being with Koschei of Oakdown," She said quietly but steadily, keeping her eyes on his as she gathered up her strength, "I regret when you began to take him from me. I regret every time that I defended you for his sake. I regret justifying the bruises on my skin. I regret not having the strength to do anything more than scream and struggle when you wanted me and made me want you, and I regret not having the strength to keep you from tampering with my head." Her eyes narrowed even though her hands shook. "But I am not that little girl anymore. I am the last Time Lady of Gallifrey and _you_ are just my nightmare!" She brought her knee up, and even though she didn't quite get her target, it was enough for her to be able to get out of his grip. _

_For a moment, the Master almost looked mildly impressed by her assertiveness. But then he just shook his head and chuckled to himself. "If you're grown up and I'm really gone, then why are you so afraid?" When he reached for her that time it was clear he wasn't trying to reel her back in. His hand was oddly gentle as he took her wrist in it, feeling the double pulse beat there. He smiled at her, a smaller smile that like his hand gesture was out of place on him. "Why do your hearts race even after all this time? Is it because you think that I'm coming back? Or that you know that deep inside it doesn't matter, because I'll be alive in your head anyway? Whispering memories in your ear and making you remember all the things you have tried _so hard_ to forget out of _shame_?" All she could do was stare at him as his words rang far too close to home. She hadn't spent very much time thinking about him since the Time War. But when he said it like that…it was exactly right. _

_With his questions unanswered, he and the Daleks faded from the nightmares, leaving her alone in the darkness once more. And that was almost worse. She wasn't just alone with the darkness, she was alone with his horridly true words. As he had known and said, shame filled her, shame and anger because in her youth she had been so weak and given herself so much cause to look back with regret. _

"_He only knew because this is all in your head!" She told herself out loud, rather crossly but also rather desperately. "It wasn't really him!" Her mind may have known it was the truth but her hearts didn't want to listen. __He had killed Koschei. In all the ways that actually mattered. He had become the Master quite some time before he chose the name. The proof was in her memories. But it didn't matter anymore. Because now the Master was dead too. In the Time Lock with no possible way out, no matter what he said. _

_Her arms dropped back to their sides. The silence around her was tangible and suffocating. Was this what it had been like for the Doctor? Being stuck in your own head and hearing nothing for so long that the silence itself seemed to scream?_

_A hand slipped into hers and made her jump. As she turned to look, part of her fleetingly hoped it was the Doctor. In her fear she could keep a hold on her anger. She just wanted him there with her. It didn't even matter which one. His sixth self would be welcome at that moment. __But her new companion was not the arrogant man in the rainbow coat, or the younger one in tweed. _

_Instead, it was his daughter, her bright eyes immediately lifting the feeling of isolation. She stood there in her green shirt, leggings and combat boots, and yet somehow looked more endearing than Sky in that moment._

_"Hey, you," She said, rather playfully. _

_The girl's presence made Aliya smile widely and laugh with an odd relief. "Jenny!" She hugged her tightly. _

_"Do I get a hug as well?" __The third voice made Aliya whip around in an instant. Her eyes took in plain clothing, bone white skin, black irises and long, thick braids of turquoise hair._

_"Anna?" Aliya breathed. All she could do was stare. In the dream she hadn't aged a day, she was still the teenager she had been when they had parted ways. _

_"Hello Vora." The Trandonian girl then pulled her into a warm and incredibly welcome hug. _

_"Why are you two here?" The Time Lady asked them, while trying not to gape. "This is a dream." _

_"Do you feel better, though?" _

_"Of course." _

_Anna smiled. "That's why we are here. Would you rather someone else?" _

_Aliya quickly shook her head. "No." It was the honest truth. She looked at the two girls who were the closest thing she had had to daughters - and the closest thing to still living children. How could she want to be with anyone else? _

_She gripped their hands and let them keep her company in her dream. It wasn't real. But it didn't need to be, as hearts were fickle things and hers were no different._

* * *

When she woke to bright sunlight streaming through the window, Aliya immediately shut her eyes again. The dream had raised so much conflict in her that she didn't know if she wanted to savour it or forget it. The dream Master's words replaced in her head, and her hand retraced the path his had taken down her neck. Quickly it went back down to her side and balled into a fist. Even though it had only been a dream, the fact that she remembered the events of it meant that it was real enough. Worse, it had all happened in her head – she had come up with it all. Recalling how close they had been and his grip on her…she felt physically unclean and instantly desired a shower.

By the time she was out, she had decided to just linger on the Jenny and Anna part of te dream instead of the nightmarish Master and Dalek part. It wasn't until she bumped into Sky on the way back to the attic that her old problems faded to the background where they belonged.

"Morning!" The girl said brightly.

"Good morning, Sky," Aliya replied with a smile. She held her towel more tightly around her. Even if Sky was a friendly, (mostly) human female preteen, that didn't change the fact that Aliya came from a pompous background. Being clad in just a towel in front of someone made her uncomfortable.

So she quickly made for the attic door, and to her relief, Sky didn't follow.

Once dressed, Aliya descended the stairs and tried to think about how to begin to tell Sarah Jane about the events of the previous night. But the numerous voices from downstairs told her that Clyde and Rani were in the kitchen with the owner of the house.

"Thought I heard you two," She said to the teenagers as she came into the room.

"As if we'd be anywhere else." Clyde nodded at her, with last night's gratitude still in his eyes.

"You both good?" Aliya keep her voice mild, trying not to sound too interested or concerned as her eyes flicked over Rani. The girl looked alright, just tired, and with good reason.

"Yeah?" Clyde looked at Sarah Jane. "But we need to tell you something."

"We..." When the older woman saw Aliya nod, she frowned. "The three of you?" She appeared to be understandably confused. After all, what could have two teenagers and a Time Lady they barely knew have done?

"Last night, Rani and I went to a party," Clyde began. "And things went wrong. This guy started hassling Rani. And looking back on it, we think he put something in her drink."

"Oh my god," Sarah Jane gasped, "Are you alright?"

"Clyde got me out," Rani said quickly, "Apparently." She sighed. "I...don't remember any of it."

"But not before the guy took a swing at me. Hence the face," He gestured to his black eye and cut lip. "He was drunk and angry, so we got out of there. But then he chased us, said he was gonna 'get me'."

"Yes, I thought 'tripping over' was a bit of a weak excuse," Sarah Jane, shaking her head and giving him a pointed look until her eyes flicked to Aliya instead. "I still don't see what this has to do with you."

"Well, we were hiding, Rani was drugged and I was scared. Because of the party, I didn't want to call Mum or you, cos I thought you'd get mad."

"Clyde, I was a teenager once," Sarah Jane said with a small smile, "In the late sixties. I would hardly have gotten mad at you."

"Yeah, I know, but it was late," Clyde said, clearly having not properly considered that, "And I panicked. Then, in Rani's phone, I found Aliya's number."

"I got a call," Aliya said slowly, "He explained what had happened and asked me to come and get them." She crossed her arms. "Naturally I didn't understand why he called me and not you."

"But how did you get there?"

Clyde and Aliya both had the decency to look guilty. The latter spoke. "I took your car. I'm sorry, I know I had no right. At first I said no, I wasn't going to because it was ridiculous, and rude after everything you've done for me. But..." She bit her lip. "He said please, and I could just hear - well, I couldn't just leave them there. They were children and they needed help." That was when she looked directly at Sarah Jane. "Once a mother, always a mother. I couldn't just-"

Sarah Jane shook her head. "It's fine, I'm just glad you're all alright!" She smiled wryly at Aliya. "Just maybe ask next time."

"There will be no next time," Rani said firmly. "I can't remember what happened and woke up with a massive headache. I'm never taking an eye of my drink again. Or maybe I won't drink again."

"I'm still just impressed with Clyde," Aliya said with a grin now that she had realised Sarah Jane wasn't angry with her, "He was a real hero."

"My hero, anyway," Rani agreed, and then seemed to realise what she'd said.

"Sorry, what was that?" Clyde looked at her incredulously, with both disbelief and a potential for smugness.

Rani shut her eyes and shook her head. "I'm not saying it again. Ever."

Clyde smirked. "Clyde, the hero," He broadcasted, completing it with a hand gesture, "I like the sound of that."

"I should have kept my mouth shut," Rank groaned, "The smugness is already unbearable."

"That's okay, Janet, I know you love me really," Clyde joked.

The olive skinned girl rolled her eyes. "Whatever, _Trevor_, in your dreams."

Aliya glanced between them and frowned. "I'm confused," She said, and the others just laughed.

* * *

"Your idea to thank Aliya for her help is to introduce her to Star Wars through a sleepover marathon?" At Rani's question, Clyde nodded and grinned, making the girl sigh. "Why would she want to watch them?"

"Her world is like actual science fiction. Why shouldn't she?"

"She'll probably find a whole bunch of flaws in the science of it!"

Clyde shrugged. "Yeah, but it's fiction. Sky told me she reads all night almost every night. So she must like fiction!"

Rani decided that there was no point arguing with him. "Am I invited to this, then?"

"Yeah, I'm sure your dad will totally let you have a sleepover with me," Clyde said sarcastically.

She had to admit that he had a point. "But we'll be here, with Sky and Aliya! And Sarah Jane will be in the house."

"Your dad doesn't even know Aliya." Clyde reminded her, but then his eyes lit up and he grinned. "But she could go over and introduce herself and tell him that she'll be our - uh, chaperone, that's it."

"Not that we actually need one, since we're not even a couple."

"But this is your dad, and he doesn't trust me. I don't even think he likes me!" Rani just laughed and they went down the stairs to find Aliya. She was at the dining table with Sky, bent over paper.

"What are you two up to?" The girl and Time Lady were for the most part inseparable. It wasn't even really due to their non-terrestrial backgrounds. They were just kindred spirits at hearts, with a compassion and wonder about them as well as an urge to learn.

Sky looked up and grinned at them. "I'm writing and drawing my own picture book!"

"She's a real author in the making. Maybe not a journalist, but she's definitely already learning stuff from her mum," Aliya commented, nudging the girl, who giggled. Clyde bent over to try and see what was under the blonde's hand. The mass of interlocking circles and dots made him whistle slightly.

"Trying to work out if this is a work of art or the world's best doodle," He said.

Aliya's expression was comically torn between amusement and offense. "It's a bedtime story!"

"What?" The two teenagers asked simultaneously, frowning at the piece of paper.

"It's an old story they used to tell us when we were Sky's age. About the supposed 'pest controllers' of the universe. Probably not a grain of truth behind it, but it did its job and made the Time Tots scared of the universe."

"Time Tots?" Sky asked. Aliya just shrugged.

"But how can it be a story? It's just circles and dots, mine is built on circles."

Rani gaped as she realised what she was holding in her hands. "This is your language!" Aliya nodded slowly, smiling. "But...this is so cool!" The girl's eyes took in the circles and dots joined by branching lines "These are words…and sentences..." She looked back to the blonde. "It's weird, it's like I know you're an alien, but you look so human that I forget. But you really are. You were born on a different world, in a different time, and learnt a language nothing like anything on this planet!" Clyde looked as though he hadn't thought about it like that at all, while Sky just let out another small giggle and grinned at the woman being discussed.

Aliya herself had a funny little smile on her face as her intelligent eyes intently regarded Rani. "You sound so...awed."

Rani blinked and shrugged somewhat sheepishly. "Well, it just kind of occurred to me how amazing you and the Doctor actually are."

The Time Lady blinked, and then started to laugh softly.

"What?"

The woman's head tilted to the side. "You just - you don't realise...that's exactly how _you _seem to _me_. You're aliens too. It's all about perspective."

Rani frowned, and eventually had to laugh. "But we're just normal humans. You probably learnt about us in school. How could we seem amazing?"

"Well, yes, I did learn about you. Stupid little overly violent apes on a little blue and green planet on the other side of the universe. And I admit that for my first couple of centuries that was all you were to me. And then...I found out that the Doctor was travelling with humans. You have to understand, it was unusual enough that he had left Gallifrey. But to be travelling with a species like humans, it was so...random. I spent a long while struggling to understand. But I began to when he came back. His companions then were called Jamie and Zoe, and they were the first humans I ever met. Also, probably the first humans on Gallifrey for as long as I could remember. Both young, bright eyed, and so devoted to the Doctor in a way I couldn't quite understand."

"Were they from our time?" Clyde asked, but Aliya shook her head.

"Jamie was a Scottish warrior from the 18th century, but he was so sweet that warrior seemed an odd term to apply to him. And Zoe was an astrophysicist from the end of this century. Odd combination, but that's the Doctor for you."

"And so what did you think after that?"

"I still didn't completely understand, or even really know enough about humans…but I could understand why he took them with him. The Doctor had always loved Earth, and never had the same kind of superiority as the rest of us. Anyone else and it would have been strange. With the Doctor, that was when I realised that it just…kind of worked for him." Aliya shrugged again.

"Okay…" Rani said slowly, "So what changed, then? Between then and now?"

"When I got to properly know some of his companions, that's when I started to like humans. But it wasn't until these last couple of years, travelling with the Doctor, that I began to see you as amazing. Seeing you in your lives, the way you all care about people that you've never met, how you can all share this empathy…" Aliya smiled at Rani, who hesitantly smiled back. When the woman said it like that, humanity did sound rather incredible. Of course then she had to add, "And sure you get into wars and kill each other and you've got your fair share of horrid people…" She sighed and shook her head. "But my people were pompous arseholes, and my first boyfriend became a psychopathic murderer who was eerily good at manipulating other people's minds. I really can't judge."

Clyde lifted an eyebrow at the 'psychopathic murderer' part, but Rani had heard it before. "Well, I'm glad that you think we're amazing instead of stupid and murderous."

Aliya chuckled. "I had to alter my perspective eventually. I'm stuck on your planet, I couldn't keep thinking like someone from mine. Not about that."

"Hang on…" Clyde began with a frown, "Manipulating other people's minds? Your first boyfriend was the one who-"

"_Clyde_!" Rani had never heard Aliya's tone so sharp, or seen her look as panicked as she had in the second before Clyde had refrained from finishing his sentence. The teenage boy had quickly fallen silent while Aliya released a long breath and looked at him with gratitude.

"The one who what?" Sky asked, looking between them with her usual innocent curiosity.

"Nothing," The blonde said flatly, and got up from the table, "You can keep that if you want, Rani, I just wanted to actually write in my own language." She looked like she was about to leave the room with her obvious mood change, but Clyde was quick to ask what they had been meaning to.

"No, sorry," He said to her, sounding genuine, and Rani could only become more curious. Was this something that they had discussed last night? How much had they talked about? "Look, we wanted to know if you wanted to have a Star Wars marathon with us." Upon seeing her total lack of comprehension, he elaborated. "It's the best movie series of all time. And it's science fiction, you know, with aliens and spaceships and stuff."

"But it was made by humans?"

"Well, yeah."

Aliya laughed a little. "Okay, I could do with a laugh. This is going to be like Back to the Future all over again. Although parts of that are actually surprisingly accurate."

"Really?" Clyde asked.

"Well, you can't travel through time in a car, and I don't know where they got 88 miles per hour from, but at least they managed to get right that time is constantly in flux. So I can't wait to see what this 'Star Wars' has got."

"Hey, it's good! But it is _fiction_."

"Oh, I know."

"But…we were thinking we could make it into a sleepover. The four of us. Cos Sky's never had one." Rani grinned at the little girl, whose eyes lit up.

"Wait," Aliya frowned, "What's a sleepover? I thought it was a verb, but you're making it into a noun…how is it different to someone just sleeping over?"

Rani eyed her incredulously. "Well, it's when you get friends and all sleep in sleeping bags and watch movies and have popcorn and play stupid games and stay up all night. Usually they're all girl or all boy, but Clyde can be an honorary girl this time."

"I have never done that before," Aliya said, frowning, "It's common?"

"You've never had one? But you're a thousand years old!"

"My two best friends at school were both guys and my society was prudish! Of course I haven't!"

Rani grinned. "Alright, then you're definitely doing it. But first you have to come meet my dad." The Time Lady blinked at what did sound like an abrupt subject change.

"Sorry, why?"

"So that you can promise to chaperone me and Clyde so he's allowed to come," Rani said with a chuckle, "Even though we're not dating, my dad would never let us sleep in the same room. But if you and Sky are there and you promise to watch us, he can't say no."

That Aliya clearly did understand. "Fair enough. We going now?"

"Yeah."

So after leaving Clyde with Sky, they left the house and went across the road and into Rani's house, where Rani went forward into the kitchen while Aliya hung awkwardly in the entryway. Haresh Chandra seemed surprised to see his daughter, but immediately smiled at her in greeting.

"Hello, Rani," He said.

"Hi Dad. Um, there's someone I want you to meet, if that's okay." Her father frowned but moved away from the kitchen counter where he was cooking. When Rani indicated towards the front door with his head, he followed. "Dad, this is Aliya." Haresh's eyebrows lifted. Clearly whatever he had been expecting was not a blonde woman in her mid to late twenties. "Aliya, this is my dad."

Aliya seemed to be calculating something before she held out her hand. "It's nice to meet you. And what are called for those of us who aren't your daughter?"

"Haresh," He answered mildly, shaking her hand while eyeing her with blatant curiosity, "And how do you know my daughter?"

"Oh, hello my darling!" That was the moment that Gita came downstairs and spotted the blonde. "Liking Bannerman Road better than Cardiff yet?"

Aliya relaxed a little as she smiled at Rani's mother. "There are some definite points in your favour. For example, the company."

Gita chuckled. "Oh, you're a smooth talker, I should have known!" Aliya just grinned while Haresh watched them with a slight frown.

"You know her?" He asked his wife.

"Oh, yes, she's staying with Sarah…what was it, third cousin once removed?" Gita was as cheerful and bubbly as ever, but Rani never expected anything less from her mother. At her question, Aliya just shrugged and made a face.

"Something like that," She answered, which made Gita laugh.

"Well, what can we help you with?"

"Can I stay at Sarah Jane's tonight?" Rani asked to start off. "We're having a sleepover with Sky."

Haresh eyed Aliya. "Aren't you a little old for a sleepover?" The woman laughed, more than the joke deserved. Probably because she was centuries older than he believed her to be, so in a way she _really_ was too old for a sleepover.

"Her and Sky have never had one before. Aliya went to a…super strict, um, boarding school where that sort of thing wasn't allowed." Aliya shot her a subtle look which read _nice one_, and Rani felt proud to have come up with it on the spot.

"What school was this?" Haresh asked with the interest only a school principal could have.

"It's gone now. But it was remote and…Irish," Aliya said quickly, and Rani had to try to not laugh. "Followed an ancient regime. You'd think I was living on another planet." When a smile played on the edge of Aliya's lips, Rani actually did laugh because it was so bloody cheeky. Haresh glanced at his daughter.

"You alright?"

Rani just nodded and clamped her lips shut. That worked out well enough because Aliya had gained enough confidence to speak for herself.

"But you see, at Clyde's recommendation, we're having a Star Wars marathon," She told Haresh and Gita, "And he really would love to be there when Sky and I watch it for the first time."

"You want Clyde at your sleepover?" Haresh looked at Rani with a raised eyebrow and a more prominent frown. "What would the sleeping arrangements be?"

"I believe we're all sleeping in the attic," Aliya said, "But even though they are not dating and there's nothing to worry about, I thought if I promised to keep an eye on them, like a chaperone, it would be alright."

Gita nodded. "Of course! We trust Rani completely anyway."

Both Aliya and Rani were pleasantly surprised by that. "Really?"

"But I don't trust that Langer boy-" Haresh was quick to say, but Gita shushed him.

"Oh please, Haresh, none of that. He's a nice boy, and Ally here will be chaperoning," She said firmly, and then turned to her daughter, "You invite him, Rani, it's perfectly fine."

"It's Aliya, though," The blonde said absently.

Haresh looked like he wanted to argue against the verdict, but keep quiet under his wife's stern gaze.

* * *

So once also getting Sarah Jane's permission, that night the two teenagers settled down with the child and the alien to watch Star Wars. They'd dragged in a few spare mattresses and a few beanbags from Sky's bedroom, and were all completely comfortable and prepared to begin watching _A New Hope_. They had two large bowls of popcorn between them as well. Aliya was cuddled next to Sky while Clyde and Rani sat on their left, on two beanbags squished together.

"That guy is creepy," Aliya said the moment Darth Vader came on screen, "Like a walking Dalek. Seriously, what's with his voice?"

"Just watch it!"

A few minutes later, she was commenting on how she liked Princess Leia's hair, and giggling at C3PO.

Naturally, Sky's favourite character was Chewbacca, while Aliya took a liking to sassy Han Solo. Rani's favourite had always been Leia, and she was fairly sure that Clyde, being a true fan, just loved everyone. When the movie ended, Clyde looked at Aliya expectantly. While the woman had protested several times against the movie's scientific flaws, she hadn't criticised the actual movie.

"So?"

Aliya ate another piece of popcorn. "We're watching the other two straight away, right? Because if Han and Leia don't get together then I am going to be very upset at such a wasted opportunity."

Clyde grinned. "So you like it."

"As long as I shut out the Time Lord critic in my head who argues against some of the errors…I think it's fantastic," Aliya said, and Clyde punched the air triumphantly. "I really wish Obi-Wan hadn't died, he was so nice."

With that, they started the next movie. The beginning of the movie had Aliya grinning at Han and Leia's tense argument, and as the movie continued Sky voiced her love for Yoda, though neither of them could understand why he talked almost backward. But when Han and Leia kissed, Aliya let out a whoop of excitement, and couldn't stop smiling after that.

By the time that the last movie was going, everyone except Aliya was getting rather sleepy. Sky snuggled against Aliya and the woman's arm was around her. Both Clyde and Rani were leaning further back on their sleeping bags. But they all watched the movie with the same earnest as before, and when they reached the happy ending, they all grinned and felt that it had been a good way to spend a night.

"Han and Leia ended up together," Aliya said to herself happily, "And I called it from the beginning."

"Yeah, yeah," Clyde said tiredly, glancing at Rani, who was curled up on her beanbag next to him. She smiled a little and shut her eyes. She was tired and quite frankly wanted to sleep.

"Can we have ice cream?" Sky asked suddenly.

"Sky, it's past midnight," Rani said, smiling fondly without opening her eyes.

"I asked Sarah Jane though! Earlier. She said I could have midnight snacks if I wanted. Just this one time, because it's my first sleepover."

Rani heard Aliya get off the beanbag. "Well, if midnight snacks are a requirement, then I suppose we will just have to go and have some ice cream." Sky made an excited noise and the two of them walked to the door. "You two coming?"

"Nah, we're good," Clyde said, having apart sensed Rani's desire to not move. Once the other two left, he grinned at her and rolled over to face her, his arm curling around the top of beanbag near her head. "So, Operation Star Wars Sleepover was a success."

Rani rolled her eyes. "You're such an idiot." But in her sleepy state, she couldn't help but smile. "Also, tiny bit of a perv, I saw you eyeing Aliya's legs on her way out. I know she's wearing shorts but honestly!"

"I was just checking that she was the same as humans!" He defended, and apparently realised how ridiculous it sounded, because he frowned.

"I recall you referring to her as a 'cute alien chick' back when we first met her," Rani pointed out, and she realised that she was feeling a little…jealous. Between him saying that, checking out the woman's legs, and knowing something that Aliya didn't want him to talk about, it made Rani a tiny bit annoyed. Not that she had any right to be, of course. "I think you've got a bit of a crush."

Clyde shook his head, his eyes serious. "No." Then his usual humour returned. "Call me old fashioned, but I like girls who aren't hundreds of years older than me. Also, only humans."

"But blonde," Rani said, thinking of Ellie, the girl he had kissed while cursed, and she didn't know if she sounded bitter or hurt.

"Again, no," Clyde said, frowning as he eyed her, "Rani, I told you, Ellie was just-"

"No, I know." Rani wasn't lying, she just couldn't help being irrationally unhappy about it. But she couldn't stay mad at him when he was her best friend, not after all he had done for her the night before. He had explained what had happened that morning, when she woke up with no memory of what had occurred. Naturally waking up in Clyde's bed had been worrying, but his explanation had eased her mind. She couldn't help but wonder about the drawing she had seen in his room though, and whether it was based on anyone. "So…what is your type then? Like that drawing in your room?"

His cheeks actually darkened a little, and she lifted her eyebrows in surprise. "Um…not exactly."

"Ooh, who is it then?" Rani hit him in the arm. "You've got to tell me!"

Clyde's eyes were full of obvious conflict, and Rani had to grin at the fact that she had practically already won. Now, once she found out who it was that he had a crush on, she wouldn't need to spend so much time wondering about it – not that she spent _a lot _of time doing so.

But then he seemed to come to a decision. He leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers, making her freeze with utter surprise. But – but – _oh_. She'd hoped that the picture looked like her, but figured that it was just a bit of subconscious wishful thinking. After all, she hadn't let herself fancy Clyde, her best mate. At least until the second that their lips met. She kissed him back tentatively, still too shocked to do much. When he pulled away, they stared at each other with surprise, and Clyde let out a large breath.

"Please tell me that-" She didn't let him finish. Her hand came up to pull him in so that she could kiss him, as it would save time on both of their parts. It lasted a bit longer that time, and by the time they pulled away, they were both grinning somewhat giddily. "Oh."

"So that drawing _was _of me, then," She said slowly.

Clyde looked slightly sheepish. "Yeah, there might be a few others." She laughed. "But I wasn't lying when I said blondes weren't my type."

"I can see that. But…how long?"

He shrugged. "I dunno, I mean, I always thought you were cute. But it just kind of…"

"…happened over time," she finished, and he nodded. "Yeah, same with me."

"But when I was stuck in Ruby's spaceship and I made that message for you guys because I thought I wasn't gonna make it…I nearly told you then. But then I was okay, and back to being stupid."

"Well, when we were the only two people left on the planet…I kept thinking how I was so glad it was you," Rani admitted. He grinned.

"Yeah, me too."

They kissed again, at the same time that Aliya and Sky came back into the attic. Upon hearing a giggle from Sky and an excited squeal from Aliya, they quickly broke apart. When they both looked at Aliya incredulously due to the noise that had come from her, the Time Lady went pink and pointedly looked away.

"Aliya?"

The blonde sighed and couldn't keep her grin off her face. "Sorry, but you two are adorable and I was hoping for this to happen."

"Since when?"

"Last night when he couldn't keep his eyes off you," She replied, and Rani glanced at Clyde, who also flushed slightly but shrugged. "He was so worried about you. I'd hang onto him."

Rani just grinned and let herself curl in a little closer to Clyde on their beanbags, since his arm was practically around her already. "Yeah, maybe." Their hands met and their fingers intertwined.

"That being said, when I agreed to be a chaperone, I didn't actually think I'd need to be," The woman said in a very motherly tone, "So if you think you're no longer sleeping alone on the couch while we're on the mattresses, Clyde, you are very mistaken."

"Understood!" Clyde said defensively. "We've been together about two minutes."

"Good," Aliya retorted, smirking.

Sky giggled again. "So, if you two were kissing, does that mean you're getting married like in the movies?"

Clyde and Rani began to splutter while Aliya burst out laughing.

* * *

***hugs Sky* I think this is becoming a problem. *coughs* ****Hope you liked it, I'd love it if you left me a review to let me know what you thought! **

**CAPTAIN JOHN HART NEXT CHAPTER OMG WORDS CANNOT DESCRIBE MY EXCITEMENT**

**...in other news, I think I might actually be updating Past of the Angel soon after about a year! Or 19 months? Wow...anyway, I FINALLY got inspiration for the next chapter where Aliya and Theta go to his Lungbarrow estate to meet his mum! His mum does hold more importance to the prequel than you might think, perhaps enough to have an effect on this story and it's sequel too...and more than just Jenny getting partially named after her! **

**Anyway, see you all in a week's time, hopefully! **

**-MayFairy :) **


	63. Captain John Hart

**8 days tends to be a bit of a pattern, but it works for me. **

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, I love you all! :) **

**This chapter is still mostly Torchwood based but does have some Doctor at the end. Oh and this chapter contains man kissing so if that sort of thing bothers you then you might want to skip the office scene. :P **

**The quote below seemed quite approriate especially because this chapter is about CJH and he is played by James Marsters, who also played Spike in Buffy, and this quote is from him. Enjoy!**

* * *

"_You're not friends. You'll never be friends. You'll be in love til it kills you both. You'll fight, and you'll shag and you'll hate each other til it makes you quiver, but you'll never be friends. Love isn't brains, children, it's blood. Blood screaming inside you to work its will. I may be love's bitch, but at least I'm man enough to admit it." _

_Spike (James Marsters) – Buffy the Vampire Slayer_

* * *

It was in the middle of breakfast a week later that Aliya's phone rang. She excused herself from the table and went out to the hallway to answer the incoming call from Jack.

"Hello Harkness," She greeted, "Missing me?"

"You bet," He said, sounding less cheerful than she expected. "But as it happens, I need you back."

"Why?"

"Hang on a sec." There was shuffling and voices before a door shut. "Okay, I'm back."

"Where are you?"

"Not entirely sure. I went out last night and apparently wound up in a nice little bedroom with a lovely couple. Sylvie and Nick. Or maybe Nate, not sure. And their apartment..._is _actually in Cardiff. That's good." He sounded relieved.

Aliya shook her her head, torn between odd fondness and personal disapproval. "So why do you need me back?"

"Well, I had just woken up and the three of us were about to go for a morning round-"

"Jack, I don't want details," Aliya sighed.

"Prude," He joked, "If someone tried to dirty talk to you, how would you react?"

"If you're thinking of trying it, I _will _kill you. I'll punch you, then maybe use you for target practice."

"Ouch!" Jack laughed. Then he apparently remembered why he was calling because he stopped abruptly. "But I wasn't kidding, I need you to call a cab now."

"Why?"

"Jenny's in trouble. Now make the call and I'll explain the rest." With panicked hearts, she ducked back into the kitchen and quickly asked Sarah Jane to make the call before putting the phone back to her ear.

"Explain. Now."

"Not just her. The whole team. I got a call this morning. They're being held at the Hub till I get there."

"By _who_?"

"An old friend of mine," He said grimly, "Only minus the friend part. Last time I was here I lost the two members of my team. Granted, it wasn't his fault. But he shouldn't have come back."

"But-" Aliya hesitated as she tried to understand. "Is he...likely to hurt or kill?"

"He has no problem with it, the guy was in murder rehab, but-"

"What?!"

"...but I don't think he will on the grounds that he knows it will piss me off."

Aliya let out the breath she had been holding. "Good...but murder rehab? Really?"

"What can I say, the 51st century is all kind of fucked up."

"Oh, he's one of your lot." Aliya rolled her eyes even though he couldn't see. "If you know he's in there, are you going in now?"

"I want to have you for backup."

"But I'm rubbish backup."

"Beggars can't be choosers. Anyway, I know that if Jenny is in danger that you'll be backup enough."

"Good point." Just the thought of the girl being in danger made a maternal instinct in her rear its head. "Where should I meet you?"

"At the Pass. By the lift. See you there." He hung up and she put her phone back into her jacket. Slowly, she went back I to the kitchen to find the Smiths both looking at her curiously.

"I called the cab. Should be here in about half an hour," Sarah Jane said. Aliya nodded to convey her gratitude.

"Why are you leaving?" Sky asked.

"My friend needs my help. Some of our other friends are in danger."

The girl looked sad. "So you have to go."

Aliya smiled at her softly. "I wish I could stay here, but there's a girl. She's like you. She's like a daughter to me and she looks fully grown but she's only three years old. The Doctor's not here to look after her so I have to instead."

Sarah Jane frowned. "What does the Doctor have to do with her?"

"Oh." Aliya had forgotten that she didn't know. "She's his daughter." Sarah Jane was so visibly shocked that she couldn't speak. "Born from a machine, in his last regeneration, like a clone. She's...amazing. Two hearts and everything."

"Suddenly, the appeal of Torchwood makes a little more sense," Sarah Jane said, "She's like you. Are you mentoring her?"

"Yes."

"That's great." But then she frowned. "But seeing her as a daughter when her father-"

"I don't see her as a daughter, as such," Aliya was quick to say, "But that's the closest word for it. I...this is one of the times that English limits me. I can't explain _how _she is important, just that she is."

"Why isn't she with him?"

"She wanted to learn independently. That was before - before I was back on Earth. But when I came back it just made sense for me to teach her what I could. She does want to travel with him eventually." She sighed. "I need to make sure that I've still got everything in my backpack. I'll be back in a second." The blonde raced up the stairs and returned five minutes later with the backpack on her back. But two more people had arrived in the kitchen since her departure.

"I went and got Clani for you," Sky said, and the two teenagers rolled their eyes.

"Clani being Clyde and Rani?" Aliya guessed, and the humans nodded. "Well, thank you, Sky."

"So are you running off to save the world?" Rani asked, only half joking.

"In Cardiff?" Clyde added.

Aliya shook her head and chuckled. "I don't think so. Just a few friends and a couple of people who hate me."

"Hate you?" Sky frowned.

"It's mutual. Only one of them is actually a bad person. But she's part of the team, so..." Aliya shrugged and tried not to think about seeing Marion and Rex again. She instead focused on the fact that at least the Torchwood Team would protect Jenny if necessary. And as much as she couldn't personally abide Marion's actions or attitude...she would be sure to protect Jenny because for reasons no one understood, she cared about the girl. "But, yes, people to save, in a sense."

"Well, thanks for helping us that time," Clyde said, and Rani nodded.

"You thanked me by introducing me to Star Wars," Aliya laughed, and hugging both of them briefly in turn. "It's been fun."

That was when Sky attached herself to her friend's middle. "Will you come back?"

The woman met Sarah Jane's eyes over the girl's head. "I don't know. Being here was...exactly I needed. Thank you, Sarah Jane. I don't deserve half of the kindness you've shown me."

"So few of us understand the...effect he has," Sarah Jane said as her daughter released the Time Lady, "It's a shame more of us don't find each other."

"We could start a support group."

The brunette laughed and hugged Aliya. "Perhaps once Jenny does go and travel with him, you could pay us another visit."

"I would like that," Aliya said with a grin as she hugged her fellow ex-companion back.

* * *

When the cab finally pulled up at the Roald Dahl Pass, Aliya nearly stumbled in her haste to get out. She'd paid in advance, so she immediately made for the figure standing near the monument.

"Jack," She said, and he waved at her to approach.

"About time you got here!" That was when the smile fell of his face. "You ready to go down?"

"Yes, unless you're asking if I'm armed." He just sighed and discreetly handed her one of his spares. "Jack, I won't use it!"

"Yeah, but he doesn't know that," He replied. She couldn't argue with that. "Let's go. And let me do the talking." He stepped into the stone of the top of the invisible lift, and reached out a hand to pull her closer. His arm snaked around her waist to hold her tightly against his side in typical suggestive Jack fashion. Then he just grinned at her. "Good to have you back."

With that, the lift activated and they began their descent into the Hub. Although it had never been a particularly bright place, it was noticeably dim, and although it was far from pitch black, the shadows made Aliya a little uneasy all the same.

"I think this is a good time to warn you that I'm nyctophobic and if those lights go out, I'm going to be the opposite of helpful," Aliya said quietly and raised an eyebrow.

"The dark? You're a thousand years old and have travelled the universe, and that's what you're afraid of?" He asked incredulously.

"This and Daleks," She whispered, "Other fears I can handle."

"Well, we'll have to hope he doesn't turn the light out then." The lift reached the floor and they stood still and took in the long stretch of silence. For over a minute, they waited.

"About time you got home, honey."

A figure emerged from a dimmer part of the room. He had sandy brown hair cut short and best, and solemn, hard eyes. He looked to be a similar physical age to Jack. He wore a red Napoleon jacket, gun holsters, and cowboy boots. And with him, looking nervous, was Jenny.

"Now who the hell is this? They said you were the only one missing. So they lied, did they?"

Aliya threw him a mock smile. "I was out of town. Who the hell are you, anyway?"

He gave a joking bow. "Captain John Hart, at your service." He smirked at Jenny. "How about you since I didn't bother to ask? Actually, no, Little Princess is good. We'll stick with that."

"What the hell do you want?" Jack asked, sounding impatient and annoyed.

"Isn't it obvious?" Hart smirked. "To get your attention. Fairly sure I have. Also, Little Princess packs a punch, you should be proud. I like her."

Aliya didn't care for his tone. "She's also three years old. Don't get any ideas." Hart lifted an eyebrow but didn't argue. He merely pressed a few buttons on the Vortex Manipulator on his wrist, and the dim room returned to its usual brightness.

"So, you did all this to get my attention?" Jack demanded, looking cross.

Hart frowned and shrugged. "Well, after last time's shitstorm, I figured you wouldn't give me the time of day if I just called. You seemed kind of mad even though you knew why I did all of it."

"But you're not going to kill any of us?" Aliya was quick to ask. He laughed.

"Gods no, sweetheart! Sure, that Bitch on Legs practically asked for it, but out of respect for you, Jack, I am here in peace." Hart smiled at Jack with a kind of smugness in his voice and eyes.

Aliya and Jack didn't even have to ask who he meant, and the former almost smiled. "What did she do?"

"Tried to get the better of me."

"Actually, she roundhouse kicked him in the face and nearly broke his nose," Jenny out in helpfully, grinning when Hart scowled.

"Yeah, which is why I shot the mouthy bitch."

"You missed."

"Did not!" Hart protested indignantly. "Aimed for non-vital organs because I'm here in peace, but I got her. Why do you think she shut up?" Jenny's eyes flashed and she ran back towards the med bay and out of sight.

"You're here in peace so you shot one of my staff," Jack said, not looking amused.

"Look, fine, I - I'm sorry, alright?" Hart said reluctantly. Despite the attitude, it was plain that he was truly trying to get Jack to think well of him. Going by the look in his eyes, Aliya realised that 'old friend' may have been a slight variation of the truth. It was a look she knew all too well; the look of love for someone who has moved on.

"I believe you," She said, and he eyed her with surprise.

"Really?" He then shifted his feet. "Yeah, well, good. And seriously, she's a right piece of work, where the bloody hell did you find her, Jack?"

Jack just rolled his eyes. "Well, now that we're all being nice, I can finally do this." He turned to Aliya and planted a firm kiss on her lips. "Welcome back."

"How come I don't get a welcome back?" Hart half joked.

"You're not exactly welcome," Jack retorted, "Or blonde."

"Oh, I see how it is. Your new office shag. Eye candy 2.0," Hart said. But the last part made Jack scowl.

"_He_ was a lot more than just eye candy," The immortal said tersely. Aliya realised that they were referencing Ianto, which made her uncomfortable. She was nowhere near what Ianto had meant to Jack.

"But I'm right. Is she only good for coffee too?"

"I don't make coffee," Aliya said with a frown.

Hart smirked. "Wow, you must be _really _good between the sheets, then, Eyecandy."

She didn't know whether to blush or glare. There was no point trying to correct him. "I'm actually their expert on anything extraterrestrial. Putting me on any culinary task would be a bad idea."

"Brains and beauty, huh?" Hart eyed her appreciatively. "Still, can't know _too _much about the universe, stuck on this rock."

"You might want to consider what that says about me, then," Aliya said coolly.

He blinked and then laughed. "Ooh, Eyecandy, I _like _you," He said, his voice laden with innuendo.

"And with that comment, my life is complete," She said sarcastically. He lifted his eyebrow and made a mock clawing gesture. That was when the other five returned from the med bay. Gwen frowned at Hart the moment she saw him.

"Jenny says despite all that, you're here in peace. That true?"

"Yes, freckles, it is, actually," He said. It was clear that the two had met before.

"Well, problem with that is that shit always tends to happen when you turn up, so why should we trust you?" The Welshwoman said, but when her eyes flicked to Jack, she faltered a little. "Jack?"

"No, I believe he's being as honest as it's possible for him to be," Jack said slowly. "But he can drop all his weapons to prove it."

Hart didn't look pleased, but he removed his gun holster and put it on a nearby desk, along with his samurai sword. "There, happy?"

"And the rest," Jack told him, making his eyes glint.

"You can strip search me for it," He said with a wink.

"Gwen, get the scanner and help relieve him of everything else he's got." At Jack's command, Hart sighed.

"Well, now that we're trusting him, I'll be off to dig out the bullet he put in me," Marion said pointedly, sounding annoyed. A patch of red in her blouse revealed the location of a wound in the side of her lower abdomen. She began to head back towards the med bay, but slowly and clutching her gut with one hand.

After a few seconds, Esther followed and began to help her co-worker, who tried to resist the help before apparently deciding it wasn't worth the effort.

* * *

Esther helped a reluctant Marion down the med bay stairs. The injured woman _did _actually need her assistance, as the winces every step proved.

"Grab that," Marion said quietly, indicating to her medical bag in the corner as with some difficulty she sat on the operation table. Esther did as she was bid and put the bag next to the doctor. "Urgh."

"How bad is it?" The blonde asked. Her counterpart rolled up her blouse to reveal where the bullet was deeply imbedded in her skin. "Oh wow...does it hurt?" Despite Marion's past actions and words, she couldn't help but be a little concerned. Marion looked like she was about to make a snarky remark about how the question had an obvious answer, but then she blinked and shut her mouth. After a few seconds, she just chuckled.

"Like a bitch," She said, and Esther had to laugh a little too. She'd never heard the doctor laugh before and she couldn't decide if it was pleasant or unnerving. But then the other woman's eyes narrowed. "You know, Drummond, I can manage this on my own."

"Maybe. Doesn't mean you should."

Marion stared, then rolled her eyes. "Why do you care? I was horrible to you. I committed genocide in direct opposition to Jack's orders."

"Yeah, you did," Esther said, passing Marion the instrument she nodded to. "But I want to know why. Before, I was hurt, and angry. Then horrified. Now...I'm curious."

Whatever it was that Marion thought of that, it was hidden behind an unfathomable stare of dark, intent eyes. "Yeah, well, you're an idiot then." The words didn't quite match up with her expression. "But...if you want to know..." She frowned, seeming conflicted. "I just...I'm not good at being...a person."

It was so sad and yet so accurate that Esther laughed before quickly smothering it. "Well, generally not committing genocide is a good start."

Marion's thin lips twitched. "There we are then. I've already failed at humanity. I'll return to being the heartless, selfish bitch who dissects alien corpses."

"But-"

The tweezers went in, the dark haired woman groaned, and after forty very painful seconds, the bullet came out. "Fuck!" She cursed as she quickly got the bandages to cover the wound. "Whoever that arrogant shit is, Jack might have decided to trust him but if he thinks I'm going to forget about this then he's got another thing coming!"

"Can I help at all?" Esther eyed the bandages.

"Yeah." Marion blinked. "Distract me. Talk."

"About what?"

"Your stupid crush on Harkness and how this new fucker making bedroom eyes at him could mess with it," She snapped. "Or anything else, I don't care!"

Esther didn't want to think too much about Jack's active love life. "Questions would be distracting too. What's your favourite colour?"

"Red."

"Least favourite?"

"Blue." The woman answering winced as she wrapped the bandage around her torso. "Your turn. What was it like where you grew up?"

"Boring. American suburbs. Then later, city. You?"

"Crappy Yorkshire orphanage," Marion muttered, and Esther stared, shocked. Partly due to the information itself and partly due to the nonchalant way it had been said. "Oh, don't look so surprised. I scream 'unstable childhood' and 'lack of human affection'."

"But...you're a doctor. A really, really good one. How did you get here from somewhere like that?"

"With a fuckload of work."

Esther regarded the hardened woman in front of her. So angry, so defiant. She acted as though she didn't fit into the world around her, but Esther couldn't help but think that she went out of the way to make sure the world didn't want her.

"There's more to you than you want us to think," She said to Marion slowly. Then she smiled. "What is it?"

"You'd never believe me, Drummond."

"Before that mess with the Kalgarians, you called me Esther. Drummond sounds stupid. And you never know if I'd believe you until you try."

Marion shook her head and frowned. "Esther..." She paused after drawing the name out. "Maybe I'll tell you one day."

"I think I'd like that. Maybe then I'd understand why you're like this. Or...why you were upset that day in the-"

Something in Marion's dark eyes flashed. She got off the table. "We're not discussing this." Her voice was flat, suddenly so impersonal.

"Why? Because you were crying?"

"No!" She barked, glaring. "Because it is none of your bloody business. You can't just waltz in here with a big smile and think that this changes anything!"

"What, so all of this just now was bullshit? You sounded like you wanted to change!"

"Me? Change?" The doctor laughed cruelly. "You're still such a - no. Don't want to make you cry."

"Say it," Esther challenged. "I didn't think you meant all that in the basement. Prove you did and say it again."

Marion's jaw clenched. "You're _still_ the stupidest person I ever met. You are unable to follow simple instructions because you are so fucking thick! You think you can fix everything but you _can't _fix _me_! Why can't you just leave me the hell alone and find someone who gives a fuck about the pointless drivel that comes out of your mouth!"

There it was. The innate cruelty. The ability to make the words cut deep. Somehow, after the conversation they had just shared, the words hurt much more than the first time.

Tears stung at the corner of Esther's eyes. "Okay then. You've convinced me, Narke. You really don't know how to be a person." Marion didn't answer and just turned to her medical supplies and began to pack them up. "I'll see you, then." She went to leave.

"Don't trip on the stairs on the way out," Marion said nastily.

* * *

"So, what happened to old Eyecandy?"

Hart at least had the decency to ask while Jack had gone to his office. Aliya looked up at him and frowned.

"He died."

"And you're his replacement. At first I thought you were a bit substandard, but..." His eyes held her briefly. "You've got a spark, sweetheart."

She just sighed. "I'm not his replacement."

He held up his hands. "Right. You're your own person and he loves you differently." He said it ironically, like a joke. "But that can only be said for the difference in, plumbing, Eyecandy. What? Does he tell you that he's never felt like that about anyone? He's had more people in his bed than you've ever met."

"I don't want to discuss my personal life with you, Captain Hart," She said flatly. He just grinned and made an even more obvious sweep of her with his eyes.

"Ooh, all private, are we?" He smirked. "I bet you've never done it anywhere remotely public. But...see, part of you screams prude. But there's that spark. You're one of the blushing types. Can't even talk about it outside but in the bedroom I reckon you're a real fireball. Does he tie you up? Do you tie him up?" He leaned in closer. "I can't decide which sounds more appealing: dominating you or being dominated by you."

Her hands balled into fists. "If you don't stop talking about sex then I swear, I will hit you and make it look like an accident."

"Do it then," He dared her, but she just glared. "Didn't think so. Hang on...you're so tetchy...don't tell me you haven't!"

"Of course I have, I'm a thousand years old!"

He laughed. "Yeah, right."

"I'm not kidding."

"Oh yeah? How many people you shagged in a millennia, then?"

She pursed her lips. "Three."

He laughed. "Three in a thousand years, wow, good on you, Eyecandy! I bet they were all blokes too."

"Yes," Aliya said, annoyed, "There was one woman who I almost - but no. Just men. Not everyone wants to shag anything that moves, you know. A lot of us do have preferences."

"A thousand years though, bit of a stretch, don't you think? Unless you're not human."

"I'm not human. Far from it."

Hart looked intrigued, all his innuendo gone. "Oh yeah? Where you from, then?"

"Heard of Gallifrey?"

"Oh haha."

Aliya blinked. "What?"

"You're actually trying to tell me that you're one of the mythological time travelling overlords of the universe?"

She didn't care for his description. "I'm a Time Lord. I believe I deserve more of your respect. And we're not myths."

"Even if Time Lords did exist, they're all dead, killed in some war."

"There's two of us left. You're talking to the last surviving female Time Lord." She was serious, intent on having him believe her. She did not in the least like being referred to as a myth. "Aliyanadevoralundar. Not so nice to make your acquaintance." He eyed her with interest, and she wasn't entirely sure what he saw in her eyes but apparently there was enough age and intelligence in them to convince him.

That was when Jack re-entered the room, and Hart immediately rounded on him. "You're fucking a Time Lord! You sly bastard!"

"We're not sleeping together!" Aliya yelled, out of patience and tolerance. "I'm not a replacement for his boyfriend! And if you talk to me or about me like that again then you will be sorry."

"Whatever he said, Aliya, he would have been just trying to get a reaction out of you," Jack told her gently, "People like us can smell a prude a mile away. He just wanted to make you blush."

"See, Eyecandy? It worked too."

Jenny joined them at that point. "So, Captain, just to clarify, we're just going back to work?" There was a change in how she addressed Jack. For a start, the title, but also in the obedience. Was Jenny's inner soldier beginning to show again?

"That would be great, Jenny," Jack said, and the girl grinned widely and nodded, all hints of the soldier disappearing. They were in there, but she was still the Doctor's daughter through and through.

Just then, Esther emerged from the med bay, cursing. "I give up on her!" She said furiously, loud enough for them all to hear. Knowing that she had just been with Marion, it was understandable, but there were tears at the corners of her eyes. Had history just repeated itself?

"Oh shit," Jenny said, and Aliya lifted an eyebrow at her language. But then concern crossed Jenny's face. The girl rushed away. But not – to everyone else's immense surprise – after Esther. Instead, the blonde anomaly headed towards the med bay steps.

"What just happened?" The Time Lady asked, frowning. "She looked…and then she…is she worried about _Marion_?" Her distaste was plainly written on her face. "Why?"

"We all have to work together. Holding grudges in this job is dangerous. Now that you're back, you should probably keep that in mind." Jack gave her an almost stern look. "She screwed up but she did her suspension and now she's back. She was here first, and if there are problems between you two, she's the one that will be staying."

It was a necessary but painful reminder that not everyone agreed with her or saw things the way that she saw them. After all, disliking Marion was her problem, not his. Aliya sighed. "Understood."

"Good," Jack said. "Now, you can head home or stick around and get back to work." He then looked at Hart. "And you and me are gonna talk in my office."

* * *

Jack seated himself behind his desk and watched John move about the room, no doubt thinking of the differences of the rebuild compared to the original design. His return was surprising and brought up a lot of conflict in Jack's heart and head.

"Why are you really here?"

"Took a look around this planet. I suppose I get some of the appeal. But I managed to get a jump start back to the 51st century, got this repaired." John pointed to his vortex manipulator. "So I kept busy. But I got bored. So I came back."

"You think you have a place here? After Owen? After Tosh?" Jack asked incredulously, making the other man frown deeply.

"You know that wasn't my fault!" He said forcefully, pointing his finger at Jack and sounding indignant and almost hurt. "I had a bomb attached to me, I had to do all that."

"I know," The immortal man said solemnly, "But it doesn't change the fact that because of you it happened and without you it wouldn't have. I look at you and all I see is them. Dying."

"That's not fair," John muttered sourly.

"I know. But life isn't fair. Besides, when you killed me to string me up, one bullet would have done it. Instead you used twenty."

"But I tried to warn you! I tried to say."

"Doesn't change anything."

"I was allowed to go, I could have gone anywhere, instead I came back to help you and try and fix it!" John said, his voice earnest, almost begging. "And I did it because I love you. You know that."

"You've got a pretty messed up idea of love."

"Newsflash, love _is _messed up. Maybe not for people with ordinary lives but people with lives like ours…it's messy and screwed up and that's what gives it that _fire_." John eyed him with undisguised affection and longing.

The sight stirred old feelings within Jack's heart and he forced himself to look away. "I'm immortal, it could never work."

"Do you think I care? I don't care if you can't spend the rest of your life with me! But maybe I want to spend the rest of mine with you!" The look on John's face was so oddly honest and vulnerable that for a moment it threw Jack and he didn't know what to say.

Eventually the immortal just sighed. "You know, Esther's immortal too. I could spend the rest of my life with her and she'd probably like nothing better. She's beautiful and funny and probably one of the nicest people you'll ever meet."

"Yeah, well, that's nice and all, but liking her and not being against shagging her doesn't make it love, Jack," John said with an eye roll. He didn't look concerned about the new piece of information at all. "You know that love is different." He took a few steps toward the desk. "That fire and how it burns from the inside and it hurts but it's a good hurt. How the entire world falls away until it's just you and them, falling." His eyes held Jack's intently as he planted his hands on the desk and leant in until his face was inches away from Jack's. "And if you can tell me that you feel like that when you're with your little blonde immortal, then I'll leave and never come back." There was several moment's silence as Jack stared, mouth set in a line. And then John smiled, just slightly. "But you can't, can you?" With that, he closed the gap between them and kissed his ex-partner with that same hard passion that he had when he had first come to Earth, that he had when they had been together…before.

Jack had enough self-control to not pull him closer, but could not break away. He just let himself be kissed because in the end John was right and that _fire _had been long gone since Ianto and he had almost given up hope of finding it again. But there it was again. That fire that was _him _and had been gone for so long…but was familiar and comforting at the same time that it ignited memories of days long gone. Different names, sure, but what did that matter now? Now they were Jack and John, and both Captains due to the latter's mockery and imitation.

When John finally pulled away, they were both breathing harder and were unable to look away from each other.

"That doesn't change anything," Jack said eventually.

John just rolled his eyes and sighed, apparently having been expecting that kind of answer. "Course it does. But I've said my bit, I'm not going to push my luck."

"Did it ever occur to you to ask what happened to me? Why I changed? Did it occur to you to ask about me and how I feel and what I did, instead of trying to kiss me or kill me?"

John frowned. "Well, yeah, but-"

"Look, I'm not even close to being ready for you to waltz back into my life and think we can just pick up where we left off," Jack began, getting up from the desk, "But if you want to stick around, try to be good…we could work on it. Learn about what happened to each other. Be friends. And we could work from there."

Whatever John Hart had been expecting, it clearly hadn't been that. "You mean it?" His voice was quiet, tentative, and almost anxious. Jack just nodded, and for a moment the other man smiled. "Friends, though. You seriously expect that to work? We fought and killed and shagged and now you think we could be _friends_?"

"I think we should try. Anyway, you'd be welcome to try and change my mind."

John lifted an eyebrow. "Harkness, did you just challenge me to woo you?"

Jack had to chuckle just a little. "I'm saying give friends a go, and when that inevitably fails, it might be an alright time to try."

His ex-partner grinned, a glint in his eyes. "Alright then. Challenge accepted."

* * *

In the middle of the forest, the blue police box materialised and the Doctor stepped out. The grass underneath his boots was an odd colour between yellow and green, like Earth grass that was drying out. It crinkled in the same way too. In the distance, outside of the forest, he could see the smoke rising from the chimneys of the village nearby. When he got to the edge of the village, he nearly went back. He had no place being on the planet, not really. But since the person who should be in his place was unable to leave Earth, he felt an obligation to check on something that he never believed that she had been able to.

The stares of the villagers followed him. He didn't resemble them in the slightest. His skin was darker, his eyes lighter, and his hair wasn't the vibrant shade of turquoise that all of theirs was. But he wasn't deterred and instead he took a moment to appreciate the streaks of gold decorating the lilac sky that was darkening every minute.

It only took a few attempts at talking to the locals for him to be pointed to a house near the edge of the village. He walked towards it and paused in front of the door before knocking. The woman who answered it stared at him with confused and surprised pitch black eyes.

"Forgive me, but who are you?" She asked, and he smiled.

"We met once. A long time ago, when you were rather small. Also, I looked different. Taller, curly hair, big long scarf." Her eyes widened and recognition flickered through them.

"You are that – that man," She said slowly, frowning, "I cannot remember your name."

"The Doctor."

She nodded. "Yes. Do come in." She led him through the small cottage to a small dining table, and the two of them sat down. "My husband is out and my son is asleep."

"You have a family," He said, lifting his eyebrows with pleasant surprise. But then, given that she looked to be her species' equivalent of thirty, it wasn't surprising.

"Why are you here?" She asked suddenly, staring at him intently.

"It's Anna, isn't it? That's what I remember Aliya saying."

"Trianna. Only she called me Anna." The Trandonian woman pushed her long turquoise hair out of her face. "And she was always Vora to me." Then she let out a long, shaky breath. "Look, I know what it is you have to say. So just say it and be on your way, please."

The Doctor just blinked, puzzled. "I'm sorry, what is it that you think I'm here to see you about?"

"Do you really think that I know nothing of the Time War? Of how every Time Lord perished, except for one?" Anna's pale hand clenched into a fist. "I appreciate the gesture but I am perfectly aware that she is dead."

"No, Anna, I'm not here to tell you that she's dead, I'm here to make sure that you know she's alive," The Doctor said gently, smiling at her. The transformation on her face was astounding. Tears appeared at the corner of her dark eyes and she started laughing, her skin crinkling at the mouth and eyes. She jumped up from her seat and moved around the table to lean down and kiss him on the forehead.

"For ten years I have believed her dead," She whispered, "You have no idea what a gift this is." Then she beamed. "Does she have her TARDIS? Will she come to visit? Why are you here in her stead?"

"She doesn't have her TARDIS, no," He said, frowning slightly, "And she's on Earth."

Anna looked disappointed, but only a little. "And I suppose you bringing her here is out of the question?"

His frown deepened at the way she phrased it, but then he remembered. She had been raised by Aliya's third incarnation – the one who had hated him with a passion. She likely didn't expect them to be in any way close, or perhaps she didn't expect that Aliya would accept any kind of help from him. So instead of having to explain the complicated situation, he found that he could take the coward's route and simply shrug.

"Sorry."

Anna shook her head. "Do not apologise. She is alive. That is enough."

"She talked about you a lot, you know. I think she was always proud."

The woman smiled and sat back in her seat. "She was difficult to understand. But I know that she cared for me, and that was enough."

"You're the closest thing she had to a daughter."

"So she never had more children?"

The Doctor just shook his head. "You know, all I can think of is how it's odd because you knew her at her worst."

"Her worst?" Anna lifted a dark eyebrow. "Who are you to say it was her worst?"

"I've known all of her faces. You knew one, briefly saw another, who are you to say otherwise?"

"She could not stand to be in your presence, perhaps you only call it her worst because it was her worst for you." She just smirked when he could not find a suitable answer. "I understand that outside of me, that version of her cared for no one. But that is what makes her all the more dear to me."

"Was she…a good parent to you?"

Anna laughed. "She was blunt and honest. She was strict. And she was the best parent I could have asked for. She taught me to control my nightmares by imagining her in them so that she could chase away the monsters. She told me when I was wrong and listened to me when I was right. And she fought off many monsters in reality for me as well as in my dreams."

He just nodded slowly. It made sense, in a way. It wasn't a side of her third body that he had seen but her description was believable. He had seen a glimpse of how the two of them had been together.

"_Vora, who are these people?"_

"_People you needn't concern yourself with, Anna. I must talk with Romana briefly and then we will be on our way." _

"_I'm tired. Can you be quick?"_

"_I'll do my best."_

"_I'm hungry too."_

"_Then ask the Doctor if he has food. I won't be long, though, so if it can wait, try to not starve for ten minutes." _

He could remember being fascinated with the child – for Aliya in that part of her life to have taken on any kind of entourage was odd but for it to be a child - but she had been ordinary enough, seven years old and from Trandonia.

It occurred to him that he had been there long enough and that his time was better spent elsewhere as opposed to discussing someone who he was never going to see again. Once that thought rang home, he stood up.

"Well, thank you for your hospitality, but I should be going," He said. She also got to her feet.

"Of course. And thank you, this news is wonderful and the weight on my heart has lifted." Anna smiled at him. "If you do see her, however briefly…will you give her my good wishes?"

The Doctor nodded. "Of course." It wasn't something he thought he would need to make good on.

* * *

**It's funny, but since I decided to put in CJH I realised that I actually want him to have a bigger part in this story than I intended. Cos I do love Jack/John but due to my love for Jack/Ianto, it didn't quite work. But with Ianto dead, the ship again becomes plausible. :D **

**Depending on how the next chapter goes, there is either two more chapters or three more chapters until the epilogue. Less than previously stated, I think, but what can I say. I can't believe we are this close to the end and therefore the sequel! The sequel is where all the good stuff happens! **

**Love you all, **

**-MayFairy :) **


	64. Christmas With Friends

**I am finally back! Sorry for the delay, but remember I am in the middle of exams. But this is the penultimate chapter! (Not including the epilogue.) *dies of excitement***

***spoilers for those who haven't seen Night of the Doctor* FREAKING PAUL MCGANN EXCUSE ME WHILE I DIE OF HAPPINESS AND FEELS**

**...ahem. **

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I love you guys so much. *hugs***

**This is the last chapter without Daliya interaction, so the wait is almost over! In the meantime, enjoy a surprise Brian, Jenny being the most adorable and amazing creature on the planet, and John Hart being an idiot. And Marion being...Marion. **

**p.s. the song used in the chapter is 'Missing You' by John Waite. :)**

* * *

_You should've been there,  
Should've burst through the door,  
With that 'baby I'm right here' smile,  
And it would've felt like,  
A million little shining stars had just aligned,  
And I would've been so happy._

_What do you say  
When tears are streaming down your face  
In front of everyone you know?  
And what do you do when the one  
Who means the most to you  
Is the one who didn't show?_

_And it was like slow motion,  
Standing there in my party dress,  
In red lipstick,  
With no one to impress,  
And they're all standing around me singing  
"Happy birthday to you",  
But there was one thing missing,  
And that was the moment I knew._

**The Moment I Knew – Taylor Swift**

* * *

_Say something, I'm giving up on you.  
I'll be the one, if you want me to.  
Anywhere, I would've followed you.  
Say something, I'm giving up on you._

_And I am feeling so small._  
_It was over my head_  
_I know nothing at all._

_And I will stumble and fall._  
_I'm still learning to love_  
_Just starting to crawl._

_Say something, I'm giving up on you._  
_I'm sorry that I couldn't get to you._  
_Anywhere, I would've followed you._  
_Say something, I'm giving up on you._

_And I will swallow my pride._  
_You're the one that I love_  
_And I'm saying goodbye._

**Say Something – A Great Big World**

* * *

_Oh, there isn't one thing left you could say  
I'm sorry it's too late_

_I'm breaking free from these memories  
Gotta let it go, just let it go  
I've said goodbye  
Set it all on fire  
Gotta let it go, just let it go_

_I let it go (and now I know)  
A brand new life (is down this road)  
And when it's right (you always know)  
So this time (I won't let go)_

**Let Me Go – Avril Lavigne**

* * *

Captain John Hart cheerily whistled his usual tune - the one he still insisted was his and Jack's song. Mostly because it annoyed everyone else in the Hub, and it was obvious that he knew it.

Jenny just sighed and tuned back into Aliya's voice, which was busy teaching her Gallifreyan conjugations. She repeated them the best that she could and waited for the corrections. Only a few came, and she was pleasantly surprised.

"That was nearly perfect!" Aliya said happily, and the praise made Jenny grin.

"Thank god for that, it was driving me crazy," Jenny replied. It was true. The language was beautiful but so complicated and difficult that Jenny wondered if she would ever come close to being able to speak it with any fluency.

That was when John's tune switched to one which made Aliya's head snap up.

"What?" He asked quickly, noticing her deep frown and letting the melody quickly fade. "What have I done now?"

"That song that you're singing," The blonde woman said flatly, "Care to explain?"

"Hey, I got it from her, heard her humming it earlier, got stuck in my head! I don't even know what it is!" John said defensively. When he pointed at Marion, the doctor just shook her head with irritation. She had been particularly private and irritable since Hart's arrival a week before. The only person she talked to was Jenny, and even then not as often, though she still listened to Jack's direction.

"What, so I'm not allowed to hum now?"

"It's a Gallifreyan lullaby." At Aliya's words, Marion blinked and then just sneered.

"Well if I'm humming one of your stupid songs then it must be because the little Princess was doing it first."

Jenny shrugged, and it was obvious that Aliya realised that she had sung the same lullaby to Jenny several times. It was something that always kept her calm and cheerful. "I do like that song." She didn't comment on the nickname because Marion had been using it since the day they had met, and Hart - without her help - had also chosen it for her.

Problem was, she didn't know if it was a compliment or an insult. The more troubling part was that Marion and John had agreed on something. Marion, she knew, was not particularly happy. Gods knew what he thought about it. Funnily enough, they were actually quite similar, though she knew that the doctor would rather die than acknowledge it.

"Hey, it just occurred to me, do you two have birthdays?"

At Esther's question, the two Gallifreyans looked up from where they had been giggling together on the couch. Jenny blinked, thoughtful for a moment before brightening.

"Yeah, actually, I do! July 24th, 6012!" The girl was visibly excited. She looked at Aliya. "I have a birthday."

"I don't…the calendars on Gallifrey are too different. But I was born – if born is the right word – in midwinter." Aliya just shrugged. After everything that had gone on over the last half a decade, something like a birthday had completely slipped her mind. It seemed no more important now. On Gallifrey, once one got past their first century, birthdays were only celebrated every hundred years.

"It's midwinter now," Jenny pointed out, "We should just give you a birthday!"

"That could be fun," Esther said with a grin.

"What about Christmas Eve? We could have a party on Christmas Day for her aswell!"

"I don't need a birthday," Aliya tried to say, but they weren't listening. All they could talk of was party ideas and cake recipes. As they walked off together, she just sighed and went back to her desk.

* * *

On Christmas morning, Aliya woke to the sound of knocking at her bedroom door. Still in her pyjamas, she opened it to see an excited Jenny outside.

"It's Christmas morning!" The girl squealed, and grabbed her hand to pull her towards the tree in the living room. "Come on then, this is my first Christmas, I'm not waiting any longer!"

With ten seconds they were kneeling on the floor by the tree. "You know," Aliya put in, "This is my first Christmas too."

"Really?" Jenny had clearly thought otherwise. "Oh. Cool!"

Her smile was so radiant that it make Aliya's hearts swell and simultaneously ache. It reminded her so much of the smile she had seen on Jenny's father – the regeneration that had actually fathered her. Sure, she'd only known him for about twenty minutes under a false alias, but it had been enough time to see that smile. Jenny had definitely inherited it.

Aliya picked up the present under the tree that was for Jenny and handed it to her. "Go on then."

Jenny bit her lip to keep from grinning as she tore the paper away to reveal a scarlet cushion embroidered with gold. But the design was the circles, lines and dots of written Gallifreyan, and the anomaly took a deep breath in.

"Oh wow," She said quietly, "What does it say?" Her spoken Gallifreyan was far from fluent, and they hadn't even started with the writing of it yet.

"It says 'until the end of time, know you are loved'," Aliya told her, and their eyes met. "It's…a phrase from back home. Like a proverb. It probably sounds stupid but-"

Jenny just hugged her tightly. "It's wonderful."

"Not just by me, either. He would say the same."

"I know. Thank you, I love it."

When she was released, Aliya smiled at her. "Good. I had to get it specially made. The woman looked at me a bit oddly when I gave her the design, too."

"I bet she did." Jenny laughed as she reached for Aliya's present. "Except now I feel bad, because my present isn't nearly as good!"

"I turned about 1018 yesterday, Jenny, there isn't an awful lot of material things I need."

"Good," Jenny chuckled as her friend began to open the gift. The paper fell away to reveal a brown teddy bear with a red ribbon around his ankle and a top hat attached to his furry head. Aliya immediately grinned upon seeing it.

"This is brilliant," She said, "And I think I shall call him Watson. John Watson."

Jenny rolled her eyes. "Your obsession with Sherlock Holmes is getting out of hand."

"It's hardly an obsession," Aliya muttered.

"You have the entire book collection in a stack by your bed."

"Oh…shut up."

The blonde girl just grinned. "Merry Christmas."

Aliya sighed and had to smile back. "Merry Christmas."

"Pancakes?"

"That sounds amazing."

* * *

"Your turn, Aliya!" Esther called from the bathroom.

Aliya groaned from where she sat on the couch in her and Jenny's living room. It was early Christmas evening, and the entire team was having a party at the Hub. For her 'birthday' the day before, and for Christmas itself. Esther had decided to make sure that her and Jenny were looking their best.

Reluctantly, the Time Lady went into the bathroom, where a made-up Jenny beamed at her. "This stuff is great! Makes my eyes look awesome."

"It itches and I don't want it," Aliya said to Esther, who just smiled.

"Just a tiny bit of mascara and lipstick, I promise," The American said, "Come on, I'm away from my sister and my nieces, let me have some fun."

"But it's not…me."

"And you like to claim that this isn't your birthday. Just pretend. Pretend you're someone else."

While Esther sat her down and began to gently apply the mascara, Aliya did her best not to crinkle her eyebrows as she frowned. "Who else could I be? I haven't got anyone else in here." Esther just gave her a rather understanding smile. The birthday girl just shut her eyes until it was all over.

Eventually Esther moved away and Aliya tentatively opened her eyes. The woman staring back was her but also wasn't her. Different coloured eyes stared from under lashes that were now dark and thick. And crimson – _crimson! _– lips were parted in quiet surprise. The only comfort was that her hair was in the same loose, short waves it always was, and hadn't magically grown to shoulder length or longer, much to her relief.

"You look hot," Esther said, sounding satisfied, smirking. Aliya just frowned at her, and then back at her own reflection.

"I look…painted."

"You're not wearing that much."

"It feels like I am…and did the lipstick have to be so red? Jenny got pink!" Aliya glanced at the blonde girl. "I like pink. Why couldn't I have pink?"

"Because you're older." Esther left them alone, as she was already more than ready for the party with a slinky navy dress that came to just above her knees, her golden hair in loose up-do. Her heels clicked on the tiled floor as she went to the door of the bathroom.

Jenny came to stand next to Aliya in front of the mirror. "I think that you look nice. Bit different, but there's nothing wrong with that." The Doctor's daughter was a vision in a hot pink dress that was fitting but not so much to make Aliya's maternal side be concerned. It was sleeveless and the straps were big enough, and it wasn't _too _short. And although she had decided to try heels, hers were chunky as opposed to Esther's thin stilettos. For once, her hair was loose and falling pleasantly around her shoulders.

"You look lovely," Aliya said softly, smiling through the mirror at the girl. "I'm not convinced about myself…but I've never really put a lot of stock into looks, and I'm not about to start now just because I'm surrounded by humans who do."

Her own dress was sunshine yellow, strapless and quite flouncy in the skirt. Like Esther's, it came to a bit above the knee. Her shoes, however, were sparkly sandals with practically no heel. For her safety, and the safety of those around her.

"I'm not really used to little parties like this," She said, almost to herself, "I think I haven't done this since I was in school. And even then, it would have been your father's doing, I think."

"Sounds like a birthday party is very overdue then," Jenny said with a grin. "Besides, it's Christmas, this isn't _all _about you."

Aliya stuck her tongue out, and Jenny pulled a face back, and they just got sillier and sillier until Aliya had to snort and push Jenny's face away from her own. "Idiot."

"Yeah, but I'm your favourite idiot."

She just had to sigh and roll her eyes fondly. "Yes, that _is_ true."

* * *

When the three blondes came into Torchwood, they were met with wolf whistles from the two Captains.

"You know, when I told you that you needed a blonde, I didn't expect you to listen. Look at you now, you have three. And they're all _gorgeous_." John Hart ran his eyes over them appreciatively and Aliya was quick to step half in front of Jenny and glare.

"For the fourth time at least, eyes off the three year old," She said firmly, and he just chuckled. Neither he nor Jack were dressed up out of the ordinary, but due to their usual appearances being rather flamboyant, they still looked like they fit in. Over by the couch, Gwen, Rex and Marion were chatting. Gwen's dress was deep blue and with her freckles and bright eyes, she looked as charming as ever.

"Hello you three!" She greeted when she saw the new arrivals. She got up and approached them. "I can't stay for long, I'm off to a Christmas party with the husband. But I thought I'd stay until the cake. It's not every day you turn…"

Aliya frowned. "1018?" She wasn't actually sure, but decided it was a good enough guess to go on for now. It wasn't as if it mattered much anyway.

Gwen tried to look as though the number wasn't at least a little shocking, even though she had clearly been expecting a higher than average one. She just nodded. "Yeah, exactly." She disappeared off in the direction of the small kitchen that the Hub possessed.

That was when Jack came over and gave Aliya his trademark grin. "Happy birthday for yesterday!" With that, he pulled her in for a surprising deep but very enjoyable kiss which had Esther coughing and Hart whistling. When they finally broke apart, Aliya was blushing and Jack had lipstick on him. That was when Hart stepped in front of Aliya with a visible intent and she was quick to step away.

"What? I thought we were forming a line," He said, with confusion that she couldn't tell was mocking or genuine. "No? Okay." Then he licked his thumb and started rubbing the lipstick off of Jack's lips, much to Jack's irritation. It was such a blatantly domestic gesture that Aliya and Jenny started giggling. In the end John just sighed and pulled Jack in for a kiss instead. Jack looked like he was going to resist before he changed his mind and allowed it.

After nearly ten seconds, Aliya pointedly said, "No tongues around the three year old please." The two men separated, Jack grinning sheepishly and John just looking smug.

"Maybe you should start by following your own advice, Eyecandy," The latter said. Aliya went beet red and was about to give an angry retort when Marion and Rex joined the group.

"I feel as though I need to interrupt before this turns into an orgy," The doctor said, eyeing them all with distaste. Jenny laughed, Aliya and Esther looked horrified at the thought, and Jack and John looked as though they wouldn't have minded if it had turned out that way – which made sense enough.

While Rex had gone for a dress shirt, Marion was rather striking in a tight, long sleeved, short dress that was either black or a very dark purple, but Aliya couldn't be sure. It contrasted against her pale skin in a bold way, but also showed enough of the woman's body for Aliya to realise for the first time just how lanky the dark haired woman was. But her heels – even higher than her casual ones – amended the lankiness slightly.

Apparently pleased with her input, Marion turned and walked away to open a case that was on her desk. When a violin came out of it, everyone except Jack eyed her with surprise.

"Jack asked me to bring it. Thought it might be nice for some carols and for the birthday song," She said offhandedly.

"You play violin?" Esther, Aliya, Jenny and Rex all asked simultaneously, eyeing her with surprise. She took one look at them, rolled her eyes and began warming the instrument up with ease.

"After she roundhouse kicked me in the face, I just assumed she could do everything," John said casually, sipping his drink.

"I've been learning since I was a five year old," Marion said, almost to herself.

Esther frowned. "But…what kid at an orphanage learns violin?"

"The kid who steals one and teaches herself." With that, Marion walked away, playing a scale.

"Okay, now I really know that she never had friends as a child," Esther said, looking conflicted about it.

"It's hardly surprising," Aliya said, somewhat surprised at how bitter it came out. Even more surprising was that Rex nodded in agreement.

"At least she made use of her time," Jenny said quickly, "She might have been lonely but she learnt life skills instead of letting it get her down."

"She can't have been lonely," Esther countered with a shake of her head, "You need to have a heart to be lonely." Like Aliya, she sounded bitter, but there was a lingering touch of hurt in it too.

"Ooh, Blondie has a bite," Hart exclaimed, grinning.

"She's right, though." Aliya looked at Jack, who seemed unsure about the direction the conversation had taken. But it was Jenny who stepped in to stop it.

"Oh my god, listen to all of you!" The blonde girl eyed them all with disgust. "It's _Christmas_, and all you can do is bitch about her? We've got Christmas and a birthday to celebrate. All these things to be thankful for, and this is what you decide to think about?" The adults all looked at each other sheepishly, some of them with guilt in their eyes. Then Jenny glanced to where Marion had disappeared around a corner. "And she does have a heart. I've seen it."

"So how is it that the three year old is more mature than all of us?" Hart asked. With that change in subject, Aliya had to grin, and she put her arm around Jenny's shoulders.

"Because she's amazing. She gets that from her father. Not the maturity, but the rest of it," The Time Lady said proudly. "And…" She spotted a tray of champagne glasses on the nearby workbench, and took a few and gave them to those who didn't have one. "Speaking of the man himself, I think I'll propose a toast. I know that not all of you know him, but he's the reason we're all alive, and here, together." She and Jack shared a smile.

"To the Doctor," Jack said with agreement.

"As daft and idiotic as he is," Aliya added. Everyone raised their glasses and drank.

"Hang on. A daft Doctor. He doesn't talk at a mile a minute and wear a bloody bowtie, does he?"

Jack and the two Gallifreyans turned to look at John Hart with raised eyebrows. "What?"

"You know, I think I met the bloke. I was in Mexico, and he helped me out with a Floran problem, the bloodsuckers were getting too big for their tentacles," The man in the red coat said thoughtfully, and glanced at Jenny. "That sound like your dad, Little Princess?"

"Yeah, it does," Jenny said, smiling.

"So he's the other Time Lord left in the universe? Wow, I don't know whether to be impressed or not. He's as mad as a box of cats, but he's good, I'll give him that."

"Was he alone?" Aliya suddenly asked. "Did he have anyone with him? A bright eyed human girl or someone like that?"

He eyed her oddly. "No. Should he have?" The woman just shrugged in what she hoped was a nonchalant way. "No, he seemed pretty unhappy, actually. Like he'd been talking to himself for too long." Aliya bit her lip.

"Oh," She said simply.

Not too far away, the tune of 'Deck The Hells' on the violin drifted towards them, and Marion was back with them, with Gwen behind her, carrying a cake that said Happy Birthday, but also had holly decorations for the border. The tune on the violin morphed into the 'Happy Birthday' tune, and everyone began to sing, even if Marion and Rex were somewhat half-hearted. Everyone else made up for it with loud and vigorous singing, and Aliya had to smile at all the people around her. It was odd, considering that not all of them were even close to what she would call friends, but the picture was still somehow perfect. Being at Torchwood, with all of these people, at Christmas, celebrating something she hadn't in centuries.

When the song ended, she blew out the candles and then beamed at them all, even Marion, who cut off the final note of the song and just nodded at her. Then Aliya pulled Jenny even closer and grinned down at her.

"Best birthday singing ever."

With that, they cut the cake and began stuffing their faces with it in true Christmas fashion. It was chocolate, so there was no complaints when it came to the taste. And once everyone had had some cake, the violin was lifted again and the Christmas carols began.

Once most of the classic ones had been sung, Gwen bid them goodbye, and while her absence was felt, the cheer in the room wasn't diminished. Even if that was largely to John insisting on singing 'All I Want For Christmas Is You' and dedicating it to Jack. He was rather good, and Jack just laughed and rolled his eyes. Aliya couldn't be entirely sure what their relationship status was, because she could tell by looking at Jack that they weren't properly together, but they were definitely not quite platonic.

Esther was chatting contently to Rex, Aliya and Jenny were dancing, and Marion seemed quite relieved to be playing violin and therefore not be expected to dance. The idea of Marion trying to dance was one that was odd to think of, and Aliya made a point of not dwelling on it. Luckily, even when the violin was put away, the doctor didn't try to dance. She just fell into banter with John Hart instead.

A classics radio station supplied the music after that. Aliya endured a dance with Hart while Jack stole Jenny from her, to a song about walking five hundred miles which everyone else in the room seemed to know and love, except Aliya. Well, mostly. Marion clearly knew it, but was scowling. It was a rather funny song, and Aliya did her best to sing along with the others.

Jack and Jenny were by far the most enthusiastic singers, which resulted in Aliya making a mental note to ask about where she'd heard the song before. That being said, John was giving them a run for their money, with a giant shit-eating grin as he hollered to the ceiling.

"You're all mad," The Time Lady exclaimed. They just laughed.

"This song is so annoying," Rex exclaimed, groaning. Everyone except for Marion and Aliya turned to look at him with horror.

"How dare you insult the song of our people?" Jenny demanded.

Esther lifted an eyebrow at the girl. "Since when are you Scottish?"

"I'm Scottish on the inside!" The small blonde said indignantly. Other than the Americans, everyone in the room laughed heartily.

"No more champagne for you, I think," Aliya said. By that point, the song had finished, and another one was on. The older of the two Gallifreyans pulled her younger counterpart into a dance to it. But soon they switched so that Aliya was with Jack, Jenny with Hart, and Esther with Rex.

"Good Christmas and birthday party?" Jack asked the blonde he was dancing with, and she nodded, grinning.

"The best. Thank you for everything. The cake was lovely."

"It's from a nice place up the road."

She nodded gratefully and when the song then changed again, tuned into the lyrics of the much slower ballad.

_Every time I think of you  
I always catch my breath  
And I'm still standing here and you're miles away  
And I'm wondering why you left_

_And there's a storm that's raging_  
_Through my frozen heart tonight_  
_I hear your name in certain circles_  
_And it always makes me smile_

_I spend my time thinking about you_  
_And it's almost driving me wild_

_And there's a heart that's breaking down this long-distance line tonight_  
_I ain't missing you at all_  
_Since you've been gone away._  
_I ain't missing you_  
_No matter what I might say._

As she and Jack swayed to the music, she tried not to let the words get to her. After all, it was just an Earthern love song, what right did it have to mess up her head? But sure enough, the first chorus had barely finished when Jack glanced down at her and frowned.

"You okay?"

"Yes, why?" Aliya asked, legitimately confused. The song hadn't affected her _that _much.

"You're crying," He said rather gently. Her hand flew to her face and sure enough, came away wet.

"Oh." She stepped out of his arms. "I'll be right back."

Aliya headed to the bathroom, wiping at her eyes as she went. When she got in, she saw that it had only served to streak black mascara down her cheeks, giving her a slight resemblance to a panda. She grumbled in her throat.

"Esther – fucking – makeup – bloody – humans-" She cursed as she got some tissues from the edge of the counter and dampened them so that she could clean her face. When she managed to get herself presentable, she turned to see Jenny standing in the doorway.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing!" The older woman threw her tissue into the sink. "I'm…interestingly enough…happy." It was for some reason difficult to say, as if it were wrong to be so. She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose while Jenny took a few steps closer.

"That's great," The girl said with an encouraging grin, and she got one in return, along with a nod.

"I know. But then that stupid song came on, and I started crying, it would seem, without realising," Aliya almost began to pace but restrained herself, "And it doesn't make sense because I'm – not – sad! I have been for a while, but right now I'm not, so what the hell is wrong with me?" She glanced at the slightly wide-eyed anomaly and did her best to take a few breaths to calm her agitation.

"Well, it was a love song," Jenny said quietly, "About being away from someone."

"I'm done with being in love with him," Aliya said forcefully, eyes flashing.

"Maybe. But you still care." The girl gave her a little smile. "Nothing wrong with that."

"But…" Different coloured eyes flicked around almost anxiously before they settled and she let out a defeated sigh. "Okay. Maybe I…maybe I just…miss him." She leant back against the bathroom counter, her gaze falling to her knotted fingers.

Jenny came to stand next to her and lean against the counter alongside her. "You're allowed to, you know."

Aliya laughed. "It's just that…I thought that once the sadness was gone, there would be just anger left."

"No anger?"

The Time Lady shook her head abruptly. "No, there is definitely still a _lot _of that. I haven't forgiven him in the slightest, nor do I think I really will, or vice versa. But-" She bit her lip, considering her words and frowning. "This isn't even about that part of it. It's so basic, it's just that…he's still – or still was – my oldest friend. My _best _friend. The one I could laugh with, and bicker with, and be an idiot with, and talk for hours about the most nonsensical things, and play chess with for days on end…and I miss him. I miss my friend."

"And…there's really no way that you guys can put this behind you?" Jenny asked, half hopeful, half melancholy. Aliya just shook her head. "Are you _sure_?"

"Jenny…I wasn't going to repeat any of what was said between us, but I can't have you thinking that there's hope. I told him that he was going to die alone, and that I thought he secretly liked being the Last of the Time Lords to get more sympathy from humans to be sure that he would never be alone. I told him that his younger self would be ashamed of what he was, of how vain and selfish and cowardly he had become." Her fingers began to knot together again before Jenny's hand stopped them.

"Wow, okay…" The girl licked her lips nervously. "What did he say to you?"

"I don't think you want to know. I don't think you should know. I brought out the worst in him."

"It's not fair unless I know what he said too."

"He told me that I had no right to love him. He accused me of waiting for River to die so that I could make my move on him," Aliya whispered the second sentence, her hands shaking with anger as she recalled the accusation.

A small gasp escaped Jenny's lips but she just said, "And?"

Aliya's frown deepened. It felt wrong to speak of the fight, especially in front of her. "He said that I was so much less than any of his human companions, that I wasn't as crucial or special as I liked to think I was, that my biology didn't give me a free pass into his life. That I presumed far too much and was no more worth his time than anyone else. And last of all, he told he to get out of his TARDIS and never come back. That he didn't even want to look at me anymore." She blinked away a fresh tear that threatened to fall. "There's more, but some of it is…private, in a way. Besides, I've already said too much."

When she finally looked to her left, she saw Jenny's surprisingly empathetic face, her eyes thoughtful but soft. "No," The three year old said, "I think I understand much better now. Why it didn't work, why you're so angry…why you're so sure."

"…good." Her hand raked through her short hair with obvious anxiety.

"But nothing's impossible." With that, the two of them were sharing a tight, comforting hug. "Don't lose hope."

"I haven't," Aliya said, smiling even though she couldn't see, "I've got you. And that's more than enough."

By the time they got back out to where all the others were, John Hart was standing on a chair with a piece of paper in his hand, while everyone else eyed him with very mixed expressions.

"I'd like to make a toast," He declared, immediately betraying that he was slightly drunk as he brandished a vodka bottle in his other hand, "And read out a lovely quote I found somewhere a while back. No idea who said it, but I like it, and I think for a time of year where everyone is supposed to be united – which is a load of bollocks if you ask me – this is something that could make it possible. You know, if people weren't colossal pricks."

"Go back to the lovely quote," Jenny prompted, unable to hide her amused chuckle.

"Right." He coughed and proceeded to read. "_To forgive you must pardon the unpardonable. To have faith you must believe the unbelievable. To have hope you must hope when things are hopeless. To love you must love the unlovable_." As the last words faded, his eyes held Jack's for several moments before he lowered the paper and grinned.

Aliya, who had listened raptly and found it rather profound, burst into applause until she realised that no one else was clapping. She frowned and immediately let her hands drop to her sides. As the loud music was put back on, she went to say something to Jenny but found the girl absent from her side. When she ran her eyes across the room, she saw the girl approaching Marion, who was over by the drinks.

But what followed next was simultaneously the one of the most surprising and most amusing things she had ever seen.

Jenny beamed at the woman, and gave her a very large, very Jenny-ish hug. Even from the opposite end of the room, Aliya could see Marion go utterly rigid, and her dark eyes fill with alarm. For a few moments, nothing happened, then her hands rose to pat Jenny on the pat very awkwardly and very briefly. The girl was laughing as she let the dark haired woman go, but her friend didn't seem to find it very funny. They exchanged words that Aliya couldn't make out over the distance, but Marion's bewildered face certainly made it interesting to speculate. The last ones seemed to be 'Merry Christmas', and Marion actually smiled in what seemed to be a reasonably genuine – albeit restrained and unsure - way.

And with that, the Christmas party continued into the night.

* * *

At the same time, on the same year of 2012, the TARDIS materialised in England, on the opposite side of the street to the Pond's house. He had considered not going to visit, but he had been bored and stuck in the TARDIS listening to himself for too long. He thought that between Ponds and Christmas cheer, he was sure to feel better.

So he knocked on the door.

"Argh! If that is more carol singers, I have a water pistol! You don't want to be all wet on a night like this!" The door opened to reveal Amelia Pond, with a water pistol. It fired and his jacket was splashed with drops of water. She looked as radiant as always, if not more so. But when he looked at her, in her navy and white jumper, and realised something rather important.

"You're _pregnant_!" He exclaimed, frowning. "_Again_!"

"Funnily thing about babies, they don't not happen just because another one has happened first," Amy said, lifting an eyebrow.

"Really?" The Doctor said, finding it somehow genuinely surprising. "So there's going to be another baby Pond?" She nodded, and he just grinned and hugged her to him tightly. "Congratulations, Pond." When he pulled away, he reached his hand out tentatively. "May I?" She nodded again, and guided his hand to her rounded stomach. A small force nudged his hand, and he jumped a mile. "It moved!" He started to laugh giddily.

"Yeah, this one is a real kicker." Amy rubbed his stomach thoughtfully, not looking entirely happy about it. "How long has it been for you?"

"I don't know. Several years." He just shrugged. "For you?"

"Six months?"

"Oh, not too long then," He said, smiling. "I've missed you. And Rory."

She just grinned and yelled back into the house. "Mister Pond! Guess who's coming for dinner?" Rory came into view, and he brightened upon seeing the Doctor.

"Great!"

Amy turned back to her best friend. "We're about to have Christmas dinner. Joining us?"

The Doctor grinned widely and shrugged. "If it's no trouble!"

"There's a place set for you," Rory said simply.

"But you didn't know I was coming. Why would you set me a place?"

"Oh, because we always do. It's Christmas, you moron," Amy said with a roll of her eyes.

"Come on," Rory told them, and the Doctor, incredibly touched, hesitated and smiled to himself before following them into the dining room. Five places were set out, two of them occupied. One was by Vincent and his high-chair. The other was by an older man, with thin grey hair.

"Who's this, then?" The man asked, lifting an eyebrow as he took in the man in the tweed and bowtie.

"I'm the Doctor," The Time Lord said with a cheerful smile.

"He's the one me and Amy went travelling with, Dad," Rory explained, and the man nodded. "Doctor, this is my dad, Brian."

The alien beamed. "Brian Pond! Pleasure to meet you, absolute pleasure!" He leaned over the table to shake the man's hand very enthusiastically.

"I'm not a Pond," Brian said with a frown, but the Doctor ignored it. He had already gotten distracted by Vincent, who was no less enchanting a child than he had been when the Doctor had first met him. The Time Lord took the seat nearest the high chair and began chatting to Vincent.

No one paid it too much mind until the man said, "No, it's cool!" Seeing him touch his bowtie, Amy eyed him.

"Doctor, what are you doing?"

"I speak baby. And toddler. I speak everything." With that said, he went back to his conversation.

Brian frowned and glanced at his son and daughter-in-law, but both of them just shrugged, not sure how to explain. In the end, it didn't matter, because it was Christmas, and they were all together.

* * *

**I had to give the Ponds another baby just because firstly pregnant!Amy is amusing, and because Pond babies are adorable so...also Brian because Brian is necessary but the Ponds obviously won't be in Series 7, so he had to appear elsewhere. And yes I used some of the scene from TDTWaTW. It fit, so why not use canon where it works? When the canon is so amazing...**

**The next chapter is the last one, but not sure when it will be out due to exams. I'm done on the 27th, so it shouldn't be a huge wait because I am so anxious to write it that I imagine I won't be waiting til then. **

**And then you get the epilogue, which I will warn you now, will screw with your heads...apologies in advance. On the bright side, we'll see River again! **

**Love you all,**

**-MayFairy :) **


	65. Moving Forward At Last

**I'm back! You're getting it a day early partially due to the delay last time and because I want to see Mrs. 11th's reaction as soon as possible! (She makes me laugh very much and helps me when I need to rant about my self-induced fanfiction feelings haha)**

**So here it is...the final (proper) chapter. The big one, the one I have been imagining for several years now. This is the chapter you guys have been waiting for! Well, one of them. I can't say that it has everything that you all want but it should be plenty for now. **

**Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, you're all amazing. **

**Note: It's fine if the song lyrics aren't your thing, fair enough, (though they are great songs - especially the first), but PLEASE read the Buffy quote that follows them. Firstly because it is just the most incredible quote, (though I had to remove the last line to make it work platonically), but also because the idea of it really helped shaped the chapter's contents, and as a result I'm really happy with how it turned out. **

**Enjoy! For the first time in quite a while, I don't mean that somewhat ironically. **

* * *

_Look outside  
It's already light and the stars ran away with the night  
Things were said, words that we'll try forget,  
it's so hard to admit I know we've made mistakes  
I see through all the tears but that's what got us here_

_If love is an ocean wide_  
_We'll swim in the tears we cry_  
_They'll see us through to the other side_  
_We're gonna make it_  
_When love is a raging sea_  
_You can hold on to me_  
_We'll find a way tonight_  
_Love is an ocean wide_

**Ocean Wide – The Afters**

* * *

_So this is me swallowing my pride_  
_Standing in front of you, saying I'm sorry for that night_  
_It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you_  
_Wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine_  
_I go back to December, turn around and change my own mind_

_I miss your tan skin, your sweet smile_  
_So good to me, so right_  
_And how you held me in your arms that September night_  
_The first time you ever saw me cry_  
_Maybe this is wishful thinking_  
_Probably mindless dreaming_  
_But if we loved again, I swear I'd love you right_  
_I'd go back in time and change it, but I can't_  
_So if the chain is on your door, I understand_

**Back To December – Taylor Swift**

* * *

_What would you say if I told you that all I've thought about  
Is you since you've been gone?  
I wish in ways, somehow I could turn this world right back around  
And mend mistakes I've made_

_So I could say to you that_  
_I know, things aren't quite like what they used to be,_  
_Different faces, different places._  
_Yeah we can try, oh, yeah we can try._

_What would you say if I told you I'm not giving up_  
_However long it takes_  
_It's clear that things have changed since when we started_  
_But we can't just walk away_

**We Can Try – Between The Trees**

* * *

"_Things fall apart. They fall apart so hard. You can't ever put 'em back the way they were. I'm sorry, it's just... You know, it takes time. You can't just have coffee and expect... There's just so much to work through. Trust has to be built again on both sides. You have to learn if - if we're even the same people we were. If you can fit in each other's lives. It's a long and important process, and …can we just skip it?" _

**Tara Maclay – Buffy The Vampire Slayer**

* * *

On boxing day, Aliya and Jenny – who had been up all night singing Christmas Carols in Gallifreyan as a variation on their usual lessons – left the house very early to catch the sunrise at the wharf. They leaned on the rail in their warm jackets and grinned at each other despite the midwinter cold.

"It's so beautiful," Jenny said as she watched the colours bloom through the clouds.

Aliya pulled her beanie further down over her short curls of hair to protect her ears from the wind. "Yes, it is." A part of her longed for the golden sunsets and sunrises on Gallifrey, but she had to admit the different colours of Earth were rather gorgeous too. And the novelty of being under a different sky than the one she had grown up under never seemed to entirely leave her.

_The Doctor really has rubbed a lot of his sentimentality off on me_, she thought to herself. _Even early on, he gave me new eyes, so that I could look at the universe with awe…_

"I really do understand why this place is Dad's favourite planet."

"I never thought I would…but somehow, since I got stuck here, I do."

Jenny turned from the sunrise to look at her curiously. "So, you're really just going to stay on Earth for the rest of your life?"

Aliya couldn't help it – she made a face just at the thought. "No. Maybe for a century or so. Then I might ask to borrow Jack's vortex manipulator. Maybe I'll look for my TARDIS. It's still out there, somewhere."

"But in the meantime, you'll be sticking around?"

The Time Lady smiled at her younger counterpart. "Yes. Is that okay?"

Jenny beamed. "Of course! Wouldn't want it any other way. Though…I do want to travel with Dad, at some point."

The words made Aliya's hearts deflate a little. She'd forgotten about that. "Oh. Right. Well, sure, you do that whenever you want to. I'll just be here if you want to come back."

"You could always travel Earth while I'm gone. You'd have enough for plane tickets because of the Torchwood salary," The girl suggested.

"Planes?" Aliya couldn't hide her horror. "Dear lord. Is that what it's come to? Hours upon hours confined to a single seat, surrounded by humans and bad food, in mid-air?" She rested her forehead on the top of the cold railing. "I miss my TARDIS. I miss other planets. I miss being surrounded by things that aren't supermarkets and humans and cars and bad maple syrup and clocks that aren't quite right…" She sighed and got a pat on her back for her trouble. "Seriously, they have the worst ability to keep track of time, and I can't help but be rather personally offended by it."

"And breathe," Jenny said, chuckling. "You could always use the vortex manipulator from my ship to travel. Or the ship, for that matter."

"I suppose," Her friend admitted, lifting her eyes to the sunrise again. "Stars, I shouldn't even be complaining. I'm alive, with a home, and good friends. I have no right at all to complain about my life."

"It's a very human thing to do."

She groaned. "Now you're just winding me up on purpose." The giggle from next to her confirmed her suspicion. "Cheeky." She looked at the girl, who tried to smother her giggle. "You're lucky that you're cute, missy."

Jenny grinned. "You love me really."

Aliya gave her an easy smile in the dim morning light. "Yeah, I do." She hugged the girl tightly, and wondered where she had got lucky enough to deserve their friendship.

* * *

A year after he had Christmas with the Ponds, the Doctor found himself back in Aliya's bedroom. It was still messy and untouched by the TARDIS.

"Why haven't you just deleted it?" He asked the ship. "She's not coming back." He got no answer, and he just snorted and left the room. He walked down the corridors and found himself unable to stop thinking of his ex-friend. But all he could think of were the various memories made in the corridors.

All the fights they had had, him yelling after her as she walked in the opposite direction…right after she regenerated when they found the swimming pool…running into her only to realise that she was wide eyed and unsettled, but wouldn't talk about it, and he had found her trying to make sleeping pills not long after…standing in the corridor outside of her room as he heard objects smashing on the other side of the door, and her yells, only to open the door and see her standing amidst the debris with those same wide eyes full of anger and an odd desperation…

He shook his head to clear it. Remembering the past would do him no good.

But he was getting very close to the end of his tolerance for travelling alone. All he could hope for was that somebody soon, he would meet someone who would make a good companion, and convince them to come and see the universe with him. A part of him almost considered trying to find an older version of that girl who had given him advice on the swings…

Perhaps not. But still, with a bit of luck, some bright eyed youth would cross his path soon.

* * *

It was difficult to concentrate on correctly filling out the profile for Raxicoricofallapatorians, especially when Aliya knew that in this particular case, Jack had more knowledge on the creatures than her and would be much better off being the one to fill it out. But he was the boss, so she did as he said.

"Aliya! Look what Marion found in a bookstore!"

The Time Lady gratefully tore her eyes from the screen to see Jenny approaching her with a novel in hand. The cover read _A Journal of Impossible Things_, and had a picture of an open fob watch over top of a word of circular Gallifreyan which Aliya couldn't translate because she couldn't see all of the circle.

"What the hell is that and why was it in a bookstore?"

"I've had it since it first came out," Marion said, suddenly appearing behind Jenny. "Got it signed by the author and everything. It wasn't until I met you two that I realised it's significance."

Jenny handed the book to Aliya, who spent the next half an hour reading it intently, rereading over and over again. Eventually, she let it rest on her lap, and the other two returned.

"Interesting, isn't it?" The older said. "Your Doctor left something rather important back in the early 20th century, it would seem."

"He told me that he became human, once," Aliya murmured, "But I never imagined that his real self would have bled through like this. And the woman's side of it was very interesting too."

"But it has photos of the original journal, the one he kept…" Jenny said, pointing to one on the page that it had been left open to, "And you're in it." The girl took the book and flipped through until she found the page that she wanted. "Here." The sketch in the photo of the page showed Aliya's fourth face, looking rather sad but smiling all the same. And there was a sketch on the opposite page, a rough one depicting a familiar dark haired figure asleep, covered only by sheets.

Aliya's cheeks went red. But she read the comments around the pictures. _An angel, I believe, but of an odd sort…seemed important but disappeared immediately after…an angel or a lover? Or both? _If possible, even more warmth flooded her face.

"You and Dad were together before, weren't you?" Jenny asked, and Aliya just nodded. There was no point denying it.

"A long time ago. Before the war. Even then, it was sporadic at best."

"Why?"

"He was a difficult man to be close to. Even more difficult to remain with." Aliya rubbed her temples tiredly. "Honestly, it's quite private and I don't really want to talk about it, especially not in front of her." When her eyes flicked to Marion, the doctor just rolled her eyes and went back to the med bay.

But when everyone else had gone back to their work, she couldn't help but examine the original pages of John Smith's journal yet again, lingering especially on the pictures of Rose, the one she found of Romana, and the two of herself. It was such an odd glimpse into the Doctor's head that she couldn't resist, even if she still had no clue how the book had come to exist.

* * *

The day after boxing day, Aliya was washing her hands in the Torchwood bathroom when a box of light appeared in front of her. If she had thought about it, she likely would have thrown it away, but she caught it reflexively. The psychic message inside immediately flooded through her mind.

_Meet me in the alley nearest to the Pass, in five minutes. It's for Jenny. _

Feeling even that tiny part of his mind made her simultaneously elated, furious and miserable. She held the hypercube in her hands and resisted the urge to throw it across the room and never think of it again. She would have if not for the second sentence. _It's for Jenny_. How could she be so selfish as to ignore it when Jenny would benefit from whatever he wanted? He probably wanted her to pass along a gift or something along those lines.

But to go up there and physically see him?

It was all she could do to not start hyperventilating. Or empty the contents of her stomach. She didn't want to see him. She didn't want to talk to him. What the hell was she supposed to say? Was she just supposed to grab something for Jenny and pass it along? And then at a later date hand Jenny over to him, like human divorced parents with shared custody?

With a deep breath and shaking hands, she left the bathroom and headed for the invisible lift. Almost everyone was out on a Weevil hunt, so there was no one to ask what she was doing. As the lift brought her closer and closer to street level, she tried to keep a rational head. Conversation and small talk wasn't going to be necessary. She would just find out what he wanted and that would be the end of it.

The lift came to a stop and she stepped out onto the Roald Dahl Pass and headed for the alley that he had specified. It was empty, but within two seconds of her arrival, the familiar wheezing filled the air and the blue box appeared before her eyes. The sight had her frozen, eyes fixed on it and mouth set firmly shut.

And then the door opened, and the Doctor stepped out of the box. He looked just as she remembered. The same stupid floppy hair, the red bowtie and suspenders, the tweed jacket. The only thing missing was the smile. With ten metres between them, there were several moments where they just stared at each other.

He opened his mouth to speak, but Aliya decided that she wanted to get in first.

"What do you want?" She asked abruptly and rather hostilely.

"I wanted to give a present to my daughter for Christmas," He said slowly, patting his jacket.

She crossed her arms. "Christmas was two days ago. You missed it."

"Oh." He frowned. "Was it good?"

She nearly replied but managed to purse her lips and keep them shut just in the nick of time. "Just give me the present and get out of here." He nodded and reached into his pocket and pulled out a small wrapped gift. But something else – something tiny and bright – flew out of his pocket and right into Aliya's hands. It was another hypercube.

"No!" The Doctor said immediately. "That's-" It was too late, the message was already delivered. _It's too quiet here. I've tried not to, but…I miss her. I miss my best friend. _"…private." But if it had flown to her, then it was a message intended for her…or had been at some point.

Aliya's hand flew her to her mouth while the other kept a firm grip on the cube. Tentatively, her eyes moved back up to look at him. "What the hell is this?" She asked quietly, but then raised her voice and spread her arms out. "What the hell is _all _of this? You want me to give Jenny a present? That is such bullshit, you could easily deliver it yourself, or send it to Torchwood in the mail! This entire meeting is completely unnecessary!"

"Maybe I just wanted to see you!" He yelled, and the words hung in the air along with the silence that followed them.

"You-" She didn't know what to say, and just rubbed her temples as she tried to process it. "How can you just – do you even have any idea what talking to you and _seeing _you does to me?" She shook her head and turned away. "It tears at everything I build for myself. Deliver the present yourself."

"No, Ali, please," The Doctor said, voice tremulous. She stopped and shut her eyes. Walking away would be so much better, so much easier. _But he called me Ali, _she thought hopelessly, and against her better judgement, turned back around and took a few steps forward. She couldn't remember the last time he had called her that.

"What?" She asked, tired, and with her arms crossed again.

"That cube, it…it was the one that my pride wouldn't let me send," He couldn't quite look at her and instead kept his eyes on the cobbles between them.

She regarded him quietly, frowning, and let out a long breath. "Look, I just…can't. After everything, you can't just turn up and suddenly want to chat." He just continued to watch her with those eyes, those eyes of intensity and compassion that had before looked at her with such coldness and hatred. She had to look away. "I've got a life here! I live with Jenny, I work at Torchwood, I kiss Jack hello, I argue with Rex, I hang out with Esther and Gwen, I get told off by Marion, I send Christmas presents to everyone at Bannerman Road…I stay up late teaching Jenny Gallifreyan and then go out to watch the sunrise on the wharf. I'm _happy _here."

"That's good," He said, though his voice sounded as though he didn't entirely mean it.

"Why don't you have someone else? Just go and find some human girl and let me live my life."

"Maybe I don't want anyone."

"I don't honestly care either way!" Aliya said forcefully. "But leave me be. _Please_." With that, she again turned to leave, but his next words stopped her completely in her tracks.

"I'm sorry."

She didn't turn around, and he didn't elaborate, so she thought that she might have imagined it. But to be sure, she said, "What?"

"I'm sorry. I was an idiot, and I'm sorry." It wasn't difficult to realise – even without looking at him - just how much trouble he had getting the words out. After all, Time Lord pride was half of their problem. Her brow furrowed as she turned around but kept her eyes on the ground. Words dried up in her mouth and she had no idea how to respond. Of all the things she had imagined, she had not imagined this. "I overreacted because I was grieving. I said things that I should _never _have said."

"I have hated you for what feels like a lifetime, now," She told him, and he just nodded. "I don't know what you expect me to say. I'm still so _angry_. What you did hurt. But what you said was a hundred times worse. Are you asking me to _forgive_ you?" Even as she spoke, and tried to make it sound ridiculous, the words of John Hart's quote rang through her head. _To believe is to believe the unbelievable. To forgive is to forgive the unforgiveable_.

He sighed dejectedly and shook his head. "No. Yes. I don't know."

"Then what _are _you asking?" She demanded desperately, her voice faltering.

"Despite all of it…did you miss me?"

She felt wetness gather at her eyes, and tried to blink it away. She shut her eyes momentarily. "No!"

"Then why won't you _look_ at me?" He almost yelled. The change in his tone made her do just that.

She let out a noise of frustration and ran a hand through her hair. "Why did you have to do this? Why do you have to ruin everything? I was happy. I was helping protect the Earth. I even renewed my promise. I'm the Angel, and it was your absence that made me realise just how much I wanted to make that promise again. After all these centuries, I've finally found independence, away from you."

"I see." His voice was flat. "I'll just…go." Before he could move, she shook her head, eyes moving back to the ground.

"No. Don't." Aliya summoned all the strength she had so that she could push away her pride. "I… I'm sorry too. What I did was wrong, and thoughtless, and I take it back, I would have the moment after if I'd had the chance. And all those things I said…I didn't mean them, but you just made me so mad, and what you said hurt _so _much…but…" She took another deep breath and forced herself to meet his eyes. "_To forgive is to forgive the unforgiveable._ So, I forgive you. Please, so that we can go our separate ways with no hard feelings, will you forgive me too?"

"Of course I can," He said softly, almost gently, and he gave her a tiny smile.

She just nodded and moved her gaze back down. "I should probably get back." She took a step backward.

"Don't go," The Doctor said suddenly, "Stay. With me."

Another tear threatened to fall from her eye as she stared at him. "How can I? I know what we're capable of, and I can't survive it again."

"You won't need to, it won't happen again."

"You don't know that! You've seen us, we just fight and tear into each other! And besides that, trust doesn't just magically reappear once it's been broken, and even then, it's never the same. We've been trying to pretend that we're the same people we were. But we're not."

He took a few steps closer. "Maybe not. But we've both changed, and both grown. And somehow, we still fit in each other's lives." His eyes held hers. "Aliya, if you can tell me that you never want to see me again, and that you are truly and completely happy here like you were on the TARDIS before, then I'll leave."

"Doctor," She protested, but he stepped even closer, and reached out to hold the sides of her head suddenly, tilting it so that she had no choice but to meet his eyes. She stiffened at the first physical contact they had had since she had slapped him all that time ago. "Let go of me."

"Look me in the eye, and tell me." His voice was low and his eyes disarming.

She squeezed her eyes shut, determined not to look at him. "…I can't!" She whispered, and sniffed. "I might still be angry and I might be afraid, but you're my best friend. Always have been…always will be. But we can't just decide to be friends again after all this, and skip over the process of having to work through this messed up thing that is our friendship."

"No," He admitted, "But maybe we could postpone it." Curiously, her eyes opened to regard him with confusion. This seemed to satisfy him, as he removed his hands from her and took a few steps back.

"Until when?"

"Tomorrow." He shrugged. "Today, let's go and have lunch. I know a café in the 1950's that does the best pancakes…"

Aliya unexpectedly burst into tears, though whether they were from shock or sadness or happiness or something else entirely, she couldn't be sure. "Bloody pancakes, that's your solution?"

He nodded, smiling at her a little wider. "Yes."

She ran another hand through her hair. "You know, after what happened…hate and anger and hurt pushed everything else out."

"I know."

"How?"

"It was the same for me."

"I _never _wanted to see you again," She said in a low tone, "If you hadn't mentioned Jenny, I wouldn't even be here right now. And now, you're here and the hate is just…gone."

He nodded, and she realised that it must be the same for him. "And suddenly, that person that you wanted nothing to do with is back in your hearts."

"But…" She let her gaze drop to the ground. "I can't just forget everything that happened. What if you-"

"I can't guarantee anything," He admitted, "But if you want a reason…" His hand reached out to touch her on the shoulder, or perhaps the cheek, but she stepped back and out of his reach. "I can't stand the idea of you walking away from me right now, and me never seeing you again." As another tear trailed down her cheek, she thought that she saw wetness gathering at his eyes too. "And…somehow, through all of the anger, all that darkness and silence…you're inevitable. Inevitable to me."

_Inevitable. _He had always felt like that to her too. And now that he was standing in front of her, it was creeping back. That feeling of idiocy for thinking that for even a moment, she thought that she would want to spend the rest of her life away from her best friend.

"Aliya, it's too quiet."

"What is?"

"All of it, it's too quiet. I've started imagining other voices to keep mine company. And usually, it's yours."

Not even sure what or who she was arguing against anymore, Aliya frowned. "I can't just go gallivanting off, they'll wonder where I went."

"No matter how long, we'll be gone five minutes, promise," He said, with a light in his eyes that she realised she had missed so very much.

"You're actually serious. You want me to travel with you again, after everything."

"Well, I thought we could start with lunch and pancakes and see how it goes from there," He admitted, "But essentially, yes." When she didn't reply and the frown didn't leave her face, he took a few steps closer and very gently took her hand in his. She couldn't help it, her body went rigid at the contact. "Ali, look up." She did as he said. "You do you see what that is?"

"It's the sky," She said flatly.

"Yes, but it's more than that. It's possibility. The open sky. All of time and space…and I'm asking you now, to come with me. To give this one last chance." They both looked down from the sky back to each other. "I think that it's worth the risk. We'll have to work on it, work through the process of fixing what we broke, of fixing that trust."

"Yeah," Aliya whispered, meeting his eyes, "Only, maybe we could postpone it for more than a day. Maybe several months? Or…a whole year? Can we just forget about it for a while?" She wiped at her eyes and gave him a watery smile. "Can you just hug me now?" Her voice shook.

Next thing she knew, she was in his arms and her arms were around his neck, and she let out a sob as she buried her face into his shoulder. His arms held her to his body so tightly that her feet were off the ground and she almost couldn't breathe. But who cared about breathing? How was that even remotely important? She was with him again and _that _was truly being able to breathe.

"My Aliya," The Doctor whispered as he buried his face in her hair, "My precious Ali. I've missed you. So very much."

"I missed you too," She breathed, clutching the tweed of his jacket tightly, "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, for all of it, I didn't mean it."

"I already told you. You are forgiven. Always and completely forgiven."

"So are you, always, completely."

It hard to say how long they stayed like that, just being together again after far too long being apart. But eventually, they let go of each and just stood there, unable to look away. That was when Aliya hugged him again, her arms winding around his middle in her old usual way of hugging him. She heard him chuckle before his arms moved around her back to hold her gently against his chest.

"So, Aliyanadevoralundar," He said as she finally let go and took a step back, "Are you running away with me?" He took her hand and entwined their fingers. The edge of her lips twitched.

"We're still on for lunch, right? Pancakes?" She asked hopefully. He beamed.

"With every topping they have," He promised.

She laughed. It was the full, hearty laugh that she hadn't laughed in a very long time, and it seemed that he was as pleased to hear it as she was. Then she nodded, slowly at first and then quickly, as if she couldn't convey her answer enough.

The Doctor chuckled, and reached into his jacket with his free hand. "Here, I got this for you. Well, they're for us." He opened his hand to reveal two bracelets sitting in his palm. One had a tag that read 'best' and the other had one that read 'friends', and both had a badger charm attached to them. "They're, um…friendship bracelets. Got them years back, never remembered to show them to you. Only remembered I had them the other day."

"They have badgers on them," Aliya said, eyeing them with confusion.

"Badgers are cool!" He protested indignantly, making her giggle. Lord, she had missed him claiming things were cool. "Anyway, I thought that you could have the one that says 'Best', because my friends have always been the best of me, and you're my best friend." He gave her an odd, almost nervous smile. "And, I thought I could have the one that says 'Friends', because I think sometimes I need reminding that I have them."

"That's…" _One of the sweetest things you've ever come up with_, she thought. "Kind of perfect," Aliya said, eyeing the bracelets and unable to keep from smiling. He just smiled back and took the 'Best' bracelet and put it on her wrist, before trying to put the 'Friends' one on his and failing. She just shook her head and helped him until it was secure on his wrist.

"Also…" He frowned. "If you tell anyone that we have friendship bracelets, I am going to deny it, so let's keep it our little secret, okay?" He pointed at her accusingly.

She just laughed. "Okay."

He nodded and was quick to grin at her again. "So, lunch?" He held his hand out to her.

She slipped hers into it and grinned back. "Sounds good." Hand in hand, they turned and walked towards the TARDIS.

* * *

***happy sigh to finally have them together again and not being idiots* *happy/sad sigh because almost end of the story***

**So, I REALLY hope that I met expectations with how this chapter went down. I'm sure that everyone probably had their own idea as to how they were going to make up, and while this is the way I have gone with, I'd love to hear any different ideas anyone had! Not that I'm changing it, but it's all in the name of Daliya fun, right? :) **

**I'm not sure when I'm going to post the epilogue, but definitely within a week! My last exam is on Wednesday and then it's summer holidays! Which means lots of updates for you guys with the new story, which is fantastic, great time to be starting the sequel really. **

**...the epilogue is going to explain exactly how the Ponds/River/Series 6 thing became so AU - in universe. I'm quite happy that I found a way to do that, much better than an author's note! **

**But it's also probably going to have you guys yelling and wondering what the hell is going on so I'll try and have the prologue of the next story up not too long after. You guys might want to put me on author's alert. But I will now reveal that the sequel is going to be called:**

**_In Between The Shadows! _Thanks to those select few who helped me decide on the title (toavoidconversation, OptimisticLivvy, Mrs. 11th, and Laura but I can't remember your username haha)**

**Love you all,**

**-MayFairy :) **


	66. Epilogue

**Here it is, the epilogue! Sorry for any confusion/mindfuckery to follow, though hopefully this will explain exactly how everything got so AU just from Aliya's presence. **

**Thanks at the bottom today instead. **

**And I'm very pleased to have River back, however briefly. **

* * *

River Song settled back into her cell as though she had never left. Sure, she had just come back from the last of the great Frost Fairs, so perhaps it was all a pretence. But the Doctor had gotten Stevie Wonder to sing for her, completely breaking a rather important rule of Time, but such was his way.

She didn't mind being in prison – not really. It had taken her by surprise at first. The Doctor had promised her a new life in the 51st century, and he had given her the chance. But very quickly those who had been watching the academy where she had been trained to kill the Doctor…well, they had found her. So, for several of the murders she had committed, and the very important one she almost had – she'd been put in Stormcage. Part of her had always suspected that perhaps it was actually those who had been in charge of her that were keeping her there, for failing, instead of for her crimes.

But it was alright really. She escaped whenever she liked, and ran off to have adventures with her husband. And occasionally their friend. Her life was more than satisfactory, it was amazing. And Stormcage wasn't all bad. The guards were frightened stiff of her – which was more entertaining than it should have been.

River was broken from her thoughts by movement in the cell next to her, and immediately she froze. _No one _was in the cell next to her. No one had ever been in it– she wasn't trusted to be near anyone.

"Hello?" She said tentatively from where she sat on her bed, writing in her diary about her latest adventure. There was a short silence before she got a reply.

"Hello." The voice was female but that was all she could determine from the one word.

"I don't mean to be rude, but what are you doing in there? They've never put anyone next to me before." River got off the bed and approached the wall on the opposite side.

The other woman laughed, a refined feminine laugh that sounded like it was out of a mid-twentieth century Earth movie. "_I'm _not anyone. And I have been in here for a week or two now. You have merely been…out." Her voice was modulated, almost overly eloquent.

"I see…well, I'm River Song. I suppose if we're going to be neighbours we might as well get to know each other," River offered.

"I know who you are. And I'm afraid that I will not be here much longer. They will come for me soon."

"Who?"

The woman laughed again and there was a noise which sounded as though she was sitting down, but on the floor, against the wall that kept them apart. "What was that word? Spoilers?"

"But…that's my word," River said, frowning, "How do you know about it?"

"I know so many things…in many ways you are the reason I am here."

"Me?" The woman had to be talking nonsense.

"You have no idea how many things would have been different. But one person at the right time can make all the difference. You know her. Aliyanadevoralundar."

"What does she have to do with this?"

The woman made an indiscernible noise in her throat. "I suppose it all begins and ends with Utah. You remember it, surely?"

"Yes…how do you know about it?" River asked, somewhat suspicious.

"That's not important. How long has it been since then?"

"It was six months ago for me…the Doctor died and even though Aliya saw it, she hasn't mentioned it to me since…" River whispered. It had been bothering her ever since it had happened. Why hadn't Aliya brought it up again? They couldn't just let it happen, they had to change it!

Her prison mate laughed again. "The Silence took it from her memories. She has no more knowledge of what happened at that lakeside than the Doctor does, which is how they needed it."

"How do you know so much? And why are you telling me?"

"If you keep listening, you will find out. And you have the right to know all this. You're the Doctor's wife."

"Alright…then how does this relate to you and I? Who are the Silence? I thought they were those memory proof creatures."

"The creatures are their agents. The Silence is a religious order. They want the Doctor dead, and they had the perfect plan. His companions were married, they were to conceive a child in the Time Vortex, a child which could then be taken and used as a weapon…but there was a problem. Someone else arrived on the TARDIS."

"Aliya," River said quietly.

"Yes. The Ponds were dropped on a honeymoon planet, and their child was conceived there. And when they found out, they went to Earth, leaving the TARDIS behind. The Silence were suddenly out of options. But then…there was you. You were the great granddaughter of Amy and Rory Pond, your father caught in a time storm and ending up in the 51st century before meeting your mother. And that century is the domain of the Silence. They took you and put you into the academy, to train you into the perfect assassin, to take the Doctor out before he suspected. And you were good, you passed their test, you were ready."

Shock and grief flood through River. "You know about that too?" Her voice nearly wavered.

"To prove your commitment, you had to kill the best man you had ever known. Your own father, Brian Pond, who took the name Pond instead of Williams after he found himself in the 51st century, grandson of Vincent Williams. And you know who his parents were."

"I was brainwashed. And if I hadn't, they would have killed him anyway," River whispered. "Not even the Doctor knows about that."

"I know," The woman replied, and her voice held a surprising amount of sympathy. "They use everyone like that, it's not remotely your fault. They've ruined so many lives, in their quest to kill the Doctor. They thought you would be able to kill him so efficiently that he wouldn't have time to put doubt in your mind."

"But that's not what happened."

"They failed to see the timelines. They believed that despite your supposed future with him, you would be able to kill him and change that future. But he was able to bring you to his side very quickly. So their plan B – you – was made as redundant as their first."

"So what was Plan C?"

"I am afraid I cannot tell you much. All I can say is that they got very lucky…they saw an opportunity far better than either of the others…and it worked."

"The astronaut." River was doing her best to process all the information, but it was difficult. "The one that killed the Doctor."

"Yes," The woman said, her voice taking on an odd quality, "The astronaut."

"There's still something I don't understand," River began slowly, "And that's how this relates back to you."

"I cannot tell you. It all happens too far in the future from where you are now. If you were to mention even the slightest thing to the Doctor…the results would be devastating. Besides, a lot of it would likely not be what you would like to hear."

"But why-"

Before she could finish the question, footsteps began to sound down the corridor. That was when the other woman's breathing shifted, and became very heavy.

"Right on time," She whispered, sounding a little frightened, which made for a significant change to the calm confidence she had been displaying to River not half a minute before. "River, I am truly sorry I could not tell you more. I wish I could have known you better. They both speak so very highly of you."

"The Doctor and Aliya?"

"Yes. And I only spoke to them a few times."

"Who are you?" River demanded. But she received no answer, as a group of soldiers – all wearing odd eyepatches – filed into the corridor and settled outside of the other cell.

"She is waiting for you," One of them said as another unlocked the cell door, "With her verdict."

"I am sure she is," The woman said nonchalantly, and for the first time she stepped into River's view. She looked to be in her late twenties, or perhaps early thirties, with tangled red hair and solemn hazel eyes. She held herself with what could have been the posture of a queen or a soldier. She smiled slightly at River, but her eyes betrayed the fear behind the smile. "Well, it was nice to talk with you."

"Where are they taking you?"

"My execution, most likely. Assuming that is her verdict."

"What?"

"Well, when you know too much and are a bit too dangerous to remain alive…especially if you only did half the job." The woman grinned. "You see, you were the woman who was supposed to kill the Doctor. I am the one who did."

River's mouth fell open. "_You're_ the Astronaut!" Then she frowned. "But you killed the Doctor. You made it sound like you were on his side."

The woman glanced at her captors before pushing away from them and running to the bars of River's cell, pulling the other female to her and whispering in her ear. "He would want me to tell you this. Yes, I am the Astronaut. But he tricked them all. He is very, very alive." That was when she was yanked back by the soldiers.

"You don't seem very concerned about your life being terminated," River noted.

"I had my chance to live it," The red head shrugged, "The fault is mine for somewhat failing to do so." Then she put on a brave smile. "Besides, to quote Peter Pan…to die would be an awfully big adventure." The guards started to drag her away down the corridor.

"Thank you," River called out, and the woman smiled at her with slightly teary eyes.

"You are very welcome. It was the least I could do. It was an honour to meet you, Professor River Song."

With that, the woman and the soldiers rounded a corner and disappeared from River's sight, leaving the archaeologist astounded but inexplicitly relieved. The Doctor did not die at Lake Silencio, he somehow lived. She let out the breath she had been holding and allowed herself to smile.

But who was the 'her' waiting for the Astronaut? And what was so significant about that woman that she was the one chosen to kill the Doctor? Based on what she'd said…she would never find out. But what she had said made sense to her now…River had failed…and that woman, whoever she was…had been Plan C, somehow better than either of the other plans.

But how?

And if she was the one who killed the Doctor, why did she speak of him and Aliya as if she was their friend? Was she like River, had she been corrupted from her original purpose? Did she only pretend to kill him? And why was she now the one about to be killed? Was killing the Doctor only half the job? Or had they discovered that the death was faked?

River Song sat down on her bed and tried to take in everything that had just occurred. It was seem that the Doctor's future was more troubling than she had ever guessed.

* * *

**So, not sure how many are going to be scratching their heads and how many will be lining up to murder me in my sleep, but hopefully you all got something out of it! **

**Now, I'd like to thank everyone who has read, favourited, followed and especially reviewed this story at any point. You guys are amazing and the reason I made it to this point. After three years, it's finally finished. And I can promise the sequel and the ones to follow it will not take nearly that long haha.**

**It's been an amazing ride, so thanks so much! Not that's it's over, far from it. **

**Feel free to ask questions in reviews if this epilogue confused you. :P **

**But now, have the summary for In Between the Shadows!**

_**Their friendship again intact, but still mourning River, the two Time Lords settle back into adventures and running for their lives. But both begin to realise that perhaps being friends is more difficult than they thought – in more ways than one. But with River Song dead, what is the Silence's plan? And who is the Astronaut? **_

**So, thoughts on the summary as well as the epilogue would be great! **

**Love you all and hope that you all are well,**

**-MayFairy :) **

**p.s. keep an eye out for In Between the Shadows which will be up within the week.**

**p.s. I'm planning to update Past of the Angel today as well, but it is going to be renamed Before It Turned To Dust just for future reference. :) **

**p.p.s. This story is going to have a new prologue featuring Eight finding out about Aliya's "death" from Romana at the beginning of the Time War. Seems like a better opening, and the current prologue will become part of the first chapter. Thoughts on this would be appreciated too. **


	67. SEQUEL

**Hiya, MayFairy here! I wasn't going to do this, but at request I am. **

**This is just a temporary update to say that the sequel is now up! (This 'chapter' will be removed in a week's time)**

** s/9890091/1/**

**There we are, a link to the sequel, In Between the Shadows! Hope to see you all there. :) **

**- MayFairy :) **


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